Hawaii Route 65 and Hawaii Route 630 are a multiplexed 4.148-mile State Highway which is almost entirely unsigned on the island of O'ahu. Hawaii Route 65 and Hawaii Route 630 both begin at the junction of Hawaii Route 83 and Hawaii Route 63 in Kaneohe. From Kaneohe both Hawaii Route 65 and Hawaii Route 630 follow Kaneohe Bay Drive, Mokapu Saddle Road and Mokapu Boulevard to a terminus at the boundary of Marine Corps Base Hawaii at Kapoho Point in Kailua. The multiplexed corridor of Hawaii Route 65/Hawaii Route 630 on Kaneohe Bay Drive is aligned over part of what was once Hawaii Route 63.
This page is part of the Gribblenation O'ahu Highways page. All Gribblenation and Roadwaywiz media related to the highway system of O'ahu can be found at the link below:
https://www.gribblenation.org/p/gribblenation-oahu-highways-page.html
Part 1; the history of Hawaii Route 65 and Hawaii Route 630
During World War II the territory of Hawaii saw an influx of military activity following the attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7th, 1941. Numerous Military Routes and early Hawaii Routes were signed through the Hawaiian Territory to aid military personnel in navigating the islands. Military Highways were assigned US Route style shields whereas lesser highways were assigned an early variation of what is now the Hawaii Route Spade. A 1946 Army Map of the Island of O'ahu shows the present corridor of Hawaii Route 65 and Hawaii Route 630 assigned as Military Route 16 between Kaneohe to Kapoho Point via Kaneohe Bay Drive and Hawaii Route 16B via Mokapu Boulevard to Naval Air Station Kaneohe Bay (now Marine Corps Base Hawaii). A full version of the 1946 Army Map of O'ahu can be seen on hawaiihighways.com here.
Circa 1955 following the conclusion of World War II the United States Bureau of Public Roads renumbered the Hawaii Route System. The 1955 Hawaii Route renumbering saw most of the conventions utilized by the current Hawaii State Route System established. Primary Hawaii Routes were given two digit numbers whereas Secondary Hawaii Routes were given three digit numbers. The Hawaii Routes were assigned in sequence for what Island/County they were located on coupled with what Federal Aid Program number they were tied to. In the case of O'ahu the Island was assigned numbers in the range of 60-99. In the case of Military Route 16 it was renumbered as part of Hawaii Route 63 and Hawaii Route 61. Hawaii Route 63 from Kaneohe followed Kaneohe Bay Drive, Kalaheo Avenue and Kuulei Road to a mutual terminus with Hawaii Route 61 at the Kawainui Bridge in Kailua.
Early Hawaii Route 63 between Kaneohe and Kailua can be observed on the 1959 Gousha Map of Hawaii. No Hawaii Route number is shown assigned to Mokapu Boulevard north of Kalaheo Avenue towards Marine Corps Air Station Kaneohe Bay over what was Hawaii Route 16A.
The mutual terminus of Hawaii Route 63 and Hawaii Route 61 at the Kawainui Bridge in Kailua can be observed on the 1960 USGS Map of O'ahu hosted on historicaerials.com.
At some unknown point Hawaii Route 63 from Kaneohe to Kapoho Point was reassigned as Hawaii Route 630. Unlike Hawaii Route 63 which terminated in Kailua at Hawaii Route 61 the newly assigned Hawaii Route 630 jutted north from Kalaheo Boulevard via Mokapu Boulevard into Marine Corps Air Station Kaneohe Bay. The new alignment of Hawaii Route 630 can be seen on the 1970 USGS Map of O'ahu hosted on historicaerials.com.
According to hawaiihighways.com Mokapu Saddle Road was built concurrently with the initial segment of Interstate H-3. The initial segment of Interstate H-3 was opened from Mokapu Saddle Road north to Marine Corps Air Station Kaneohe Bay during December 1972. It appears during this time Hawaii Route 630 was rerouted onto Mokapu Saddle Road and followed it directly onto Mokapu Boulevard towards the older gate of Marine Corps Air Station Kaneohe Bay.
Interstate H-3 was completed over the Ko'olau Range between 1989-1997 and opened to traffic December 12th, 1997. It appears Hawaii Route 65 was designated over the existing alignment of Hawaii Route 630 upon the opening or shortly after Interstate H-3 fully opened. Strangely it would appear Hawaii Route 630 was never decommissioned and is completely concurrent with Hawaii Route 65. Notably Hawaii Route 65 and Hawaii Route 630 appear fully multiplexed on the 2017 USGS Map of O'ahu hosted on historicaerials.com.
Part 2; a drive on Hawaii Route 65 and Hawaii Route 630
Both Hawaii Route 65 and Hawaii Route 630 are signed on Interstate H-3 eastbound approaching Exit 14 at Mokapu Saddle Road.
Below Hawaii Route 65/Hawaii Route 630 can be observed westbound on Mokapu Boulevard in Kailua approaching the Interstate H-3 junction. Hawaii Route 65/Hawaii Route 630 does not any on-route reassurance shields posted.
Westbound Hawaii Route 65/Hawaii Route 630 on Mokapu Saddle Road to Kaneohe Bay Drive.
Hawaii Route 65/Hawaii Route 630 on Kaneohe Bay Drive to the highway's western terminus at Hawaii Route 83/Hawaii Route 63 in Kaneohe.
Part 3; Roadwaywiz on Hawaii Route 65 and Hawaii Route 630
During June of 2019 Dan Murphy of the Roadwaywiz Youtube Channel and Gribblenation featured real time drives on Hawaii Route 65/Hawaii Route 630. Below Hawaii Route 65/Hawaii Route 630 can be observed eastbound from Kaneohe to Kailua.
Below Hawaii Route 65/Hawaii Route 630 can be observed westbound from Kailua to Kaneohe.