Hakalau Stream Bridge, Road bridge in Hakalau, United States.
Hakalau Stream Bridge is a road bridge spanning 236 meters and rising approximately 80 meters above the streambed with a concrete deck supported by steel girders. It carries two lanes of traffic on Hawaii State Route 19 across the valley below.
The bridge was built in 1911 as part of the Hilo Railroad Company infrastructure and later adapted for vehicle traffic in 1953. This conversion transformed it into a key part of the Big Island's modern road network.
The bridge displays early twentieth-century engineering with steel supports and lava-rock foundations that survive from the original railway.
The bridge provides safe crossing of the valley with clearly marked lanes and is accessible year-round. During heavy rains, water levels below can rise quickly, but the structure itself remains stable.
The bridge was originally built for trains and featured an innovative steel lattice design built to withstand extreme conditions. This construction method from 1911 remains reliable for handling modern road traffic today.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 60,000 contributors worldwide.
