Maui County marked a milestone in recovery from last year’s wildfires upon officially reopening Lahainaluna Road for unrestricted public access on Friday.

The road officially reopened at 6 a.m., officials said, after the Federal Emergency Management Agency and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers completed all debris removal in the area surrounding Lahainaluna Road and the Pioneer Mill Smokestack.

“After rigorous structural engineering tests, the smokestack has been declared structurally safe, ensuring the continued safety of the public,” said county officials in a news release.

The county said on Oct. 3, a 150-foot fall zone had been established in all directions surrounding the Pioneer Mill Smokestack out of an abundance of caution as structural evaluations were ongoing. This safety measure led to the barricading of portions of Lahainaluna Road and Mill Street, officials said, restricting access through those points, with security checkpoints in place.

The barricades and security checkpoint were all removed this morning, officials said. Lahainaluna Road was also resurfaced. All drivers and pedestrians are urged to be cautious while traveling through the area as traffic patterns may shift in the coming days.

“We are pleased to inform the community that these critical recovery milestones have been achieved,” said Mayor Richard Bissen in a news release. “With debris operations in the area completed and Lahainaluna Road to be fully accessible, we are one step closer to returning to normalcy. Mahalo to our Public Works employees for their diligence in conducting engineering studies to ensure the community’s safety.”