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Honorable James Y. Arakaki, Chairman <br /> <br /> and Members of the County Council <br /> <br /> Page 5 <br /> Airport Road, coinciding with the adjoining County's Kailua Park and the Old Kona <br /> Airport State Recreation Area. Phase 1 development is anticipated to occur by the year <br /> 2010 and will include both expansion of the existing KIS developments onto land within <br /> the project area, and new development mauka of Luhia Street. Phase 2 is anticipated to <br /> extend development incrementally along Makala Boulevard and to the makai side of <br /> Luhia Street by the year 2020. Phase 3 development is anticipated to occur throughout <br /> the remaining area between Phase 2 and the Old Airport Road beyond the year 2020. <br /> Queen Ka'ahumanu Highway and Kuakini Highway are the two primary regional <br /> roads that provide access to the project area. The Queen Ka'ahumanu Highway is <br /> presently atwo-way, two-lane undivided State-owned road. The State is planning to <br /> widen QKH from Henry Street to Keahole Airport to a four-lane road, and is in the <br /> process of acquiring land for the widening at this time. Kuakini Highway is presently a <br /> two-way, two-lane undivided County road. The County is planning to widen Kuakini <br /> Highway between Palani Road and Hualalai Road. It should be noted that Kuakini <br /> Highway terminates at the southwestern corner of the project area. The Old Airport <br /> Road, which extends from Kuakini Highway along the makai frontage of the project area, <br /> is an easement obtained by the County from the State for access and utility purposes. As <br /> a condition of approval with this recommendation, the applicant shall be required to make <br /> improvements to the frontage along the Old Airport Road if the Planning Department <br /> determines that this road will function as the permanent alignment of the Kuakini <br /> Highway extension, which is shown as Shore Drive in the Keahole to Kailua <br /> Development Plan. Together with Makala Boulevard, Old Airport Road and Kuakini <br /> Highway serve as an alternative route into and through Kailua-Kona. Makala Boulevard <br /> is presently a two-way, two-lane private road, which serves as the main arterial road <br /> through the project area. It has a pavement width of 24 feet within an 80-foot right-of- <br /> way. Makala Boulevard connects Queen Ka'ahumanu Highway to the Old Airport Road, <br /> and is planned to be upgraded to a four-lane, two-way road. The petitioner plans to <br /> incrementally raise Makala Boulevard to dedicable standards concomitant with adjoining <br /> development. Makala Boulevard's intersection with Queen Ka'ahumanu Highway is <br /> presently controlled by a traffic signal, while its intersection with the Old Airport Road is <br /> controlled by a four-way stop sign. Luhia Street is a local arterial road, which connects <br /> the project area to the existing Kona Industrial Subdivision. <br /> Wilbur Smith Associates completed a Traffic Impact Study of the project area in <br /> December 2000 to assess traffic impacts of the development through the year 2020, with <br /> an interim assessment provided for the year 2010. The year 2010 coincides with the <br /> Phase I development projections while 2020 coincides with Phase II projections <br /> development. Currently, congested conditions occur at the intersections of Queen <br /> Ka'ahumanu Highway with Palani Road and Kaiwi Street. Even without the project, <br /> traffic volumes are expected to increase substantially by 2010. The study assumed that <br /> <br />