The Hawaii Department of Transportation is removing passing zones on a 14-mile stretch of the Queen Kaʻahumanu Highway (Highway 19) in West Hawaii.

Passing zones will be removed between mile posts 78 and 92.6, from Waikoloa Beach Drive down to Keahole Airport Road.

The passing zone removal will enforce safe driving habits and enhance the safety of motorists traveling on the highway, according to a HDOT press release.

Along this segment of Queen Kaʻahumanu Highway, there have been multiple near misses and crashes related to passing vehicles, with at least two fatalities related to passing vehicles in the past five years.

Passing lane removal is scheduled to begin on Monday, Jan. 26. The passing zones will be removed by restriping the centerline with double 4-inch yellow thermoplastic stripes. This work will take approximately five days to complete.

“Do Not Pass” signs along this stretch of highway have been posted and will be uncovered as the passing zones are removed. The existing “Pass With Care” sign has been removed.

“HDOT actively manages its highways to improve safety on state roads by adding or removing striping, installing new signs and signposts, removing redundant signage and the general maintenance and cleaning of signage,” the department said in the press release. “The likelihood of fatality increases in a passing zone for all users of the highway. Implementing the no-pass zone can reduce serious traffic injuries and fatalities while ensuring an efficient system.”