As a tsunami bears down on Maui, desperate residents are pleading for access to a private road owned by Oprah Winfrey — a direct route to higher ground that could drastically cut evacuation time. Despite the urgent situation, Winfrey has reportedly refused to allow public use of the road, a personal decision now under fire as lives hang in the balance.
The road, which runs from Wailea to Kula through Winfrey’s expansive estate, offers the most direct and efficient path inland. While not the only evacuation route, it is significantly shorter than the congested public roads currently overwhelmed by traffic and panic.
Emergency officials say opening the road, even temporarily, could make a critical difference. But as of this morning, the gates remain locked.
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“Oprah has made the decision not to open her road,” said one emergency responder who asked to remain anonymous. “We’ve tried. The answer is no.”
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Residents trapped in gridlock say they are being forced to take a much longer detour — one that winds uphill and adds precious minutes during a race against time. Families with young children and elderly relatives are among those most at risk.
“This is not the time for celebrity ego or landowner politics,” said one local resident. “We’re in danger. That road could save lives, and she’s choosing to keep it closed.”
Winfrey, who owns over 1,000 acres of land in the area, paved the road years ago for personal use. Now, critics say her decision to keep it private in a time of crisis exposes a deeper problem with land ownership and access in emergency situations.
Social media has erupted with anger as frustration builds with what many see as an avoidable risk being imposed on the public by a selfish celebrity who has no longterm links to the island.
So far, there has been no official comment from Winfrey’s team. Local leaders have yet to confirm whether further negotiations will be attempted as the tsunami’s arrival nears.
For now, residents continue inching along clogged roads, watching the rising tide and hoping they reach safety — while the island’s most direct escape route sits empty, behind locked gates.
