A new access road that opened earlier this month in the Mehana at Kapolei subdivision provides a much-needed alternate route for residents as well as parents shuttling children to nearby Hookele Elementary School, officials say.

Construction of the access route, which connects the subdivision to Kapolei Parkway by way of Kamaaha Avenue, started in August 2014. The road opened Dec. 2, said Lee Tokuhara, spokeswoman for Mehana’s developer, D.R. Horton. The subdivision will include about 1,100 homes, half of which are built and sold.

D.R. Horton constructed the access road and provided the 12-acre parcel for Hookele Elementary, the state Department of Education’s newest school, located in Mehana. It opened in July with about 470 students. The school can accommodate 750 students at full capacity.

Principal Laureen Dunn said traffic backup on Kapolei Parkway and Kunehi Street, the subdivision’s only entrance prior to the opening of the second access road, was a problem when the school opened. School officials responded by opening a second entrance in August.

Dunn said the second entrance, combined with the popularity of after-school clubs, has helped alleviate traffic. On any given afternoon about half of the student body could be on campus after school for after-school care or clubs, she said.

“Honestly, it’s hard to tell (the impact of the new road) because we started some after-school clubs … so a lot of the students are still on campus,” Dunn said. However, she added, “It’s a good thing that it opened up. Definitely, as the school gets bigger, it will help, and as Mehana gets larger.”

State Rep. Sharon Har (D, Kapolei-Makakilo) agreed that the new road is particularly important as Mehana continues to grow. It is slated to include 10 neighborhoods, five of which are complete.

“I tell people that cities are not built overnight, but every day we see new roads opening and new projects opening in Kapolei,” which contributes to a better quality of life for residents, she said.