Proposed Systems - Water, Green Infrastructure, and Mobility

Three interconnected systems form the infrastructure of recovery.

Water System - The proposed water system operates in two zones. Zone 1, hinterland, captures rainfall through reinforced ditches and collection pools above the highway, intercepting runoff before it is lost. Zone 2, agricultural park, distributes captured water through an irrigated landscape that doubles as a firebreak. Within the town, building-scale water capture, gutters, volcanic gravel filtration, and sub-grade tanks, supplements the municipal supply. The goal is water independence: reducing reliance on the overstressed aquifer by creating a distributed capture-and-storage network.

Green Infrastructure - The pre-fire green system was fragmented and insufficient. The proposed network connects four continuous corridors: the coastal promenade, riparian stream corridors, a coastal park, and the agricultural edge. Together these create a continuous green system that manages stormwater, provides habitat, reduces urban heat, and offers recreational space. Native and fire-resistant plantings replace the invasive grasses that fueled the wildfire.

Mobility - Before the fire, Lahaina suffered from a single-spine road network centered on Front Street, creating catastrophic bottlenecks during evacuation. The proposed mobility system introduces a new boulevard, converting the existing highway corridor, as the primary circulation spine, with Lahaina Luna Avenue and Kahoma Boulevard providing cross-connections. Front Street becomes a car-free coastal promenade. The network prioritizes walking and cycling within the town core, with vehicular access concentrated on the boulevard. This redundancy ensures multiple evacuation routes in emergencies.