Context

In Honolulu, a few things affected the creation of the reef runway, including an increase in tourism to the islands.  Tourism explosively increased over the years before the runway was built. Because of the increase in tourism, the demand for the airport also increased, which meant the airport needed more runways.
As a result, Honolulu International Airport began planning for a new Reef Runway in the 1960s to cope with this increase in demand. "Work eventually began on the new runway in 1973, but the project faced stiff opposition from environmental groups." ​​​​​​​