COM 0219.000 2000-2002 - Laserfiche WebLink

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Honorable James Y. Arakaki, Chairman and Members of the County Council Page 6 the State's widening of Queen Ka'ahumanu Highway, the County's widening of Kuakini Highway and the petitioner's plans to extend Eho Street to Queen Ka'ahumanu Highway will be completed by 2010, and concluded that these improvements would improve traffic conditions to acceptable levels at the present problem intersections. Phase 1 of the project would include the development of approximately 35 acres between Luhia Street and Queen Ka'ahumanu Highway and in the area that abuts the existing Kona Industrial Subdivision, along the southern boundary of the project area. With the project, the study further assumed that the widening of Makala Boulevard to full right-of--way width between Queen Ka'ahumanu Highway and Luhia Street and the installation of a new service road between Luhia Street and the Old Airport Road would be completed by 2010. Traffic conditions with the project would result in large increases on Makala Boulevard by the year 2010, resulting in very long delays for traffic exiting the project area on the northeast corner of the intersection of Makala Boulevard and Luhia Street, which is currently stop sign controlled. The study indicates that these traffic conditions and the overall conditions at the intersection would satisfy warrants to allow the installation of traffic signals and recommends that detector loops and conduit for future installation of signal controls be installed at the time of the Makala Boulevard widening project. The study further recommends that once the northeast corner is developed, that periodic traffic surveys be conducted to determine if and when the actual traffic conditions warrant the installation of a traffic signal. By the year 2020, traffic conditions without the project will continue to operate at acceptable levels with the exception of the Queen Ka'ahumanu HighwaylPalani Road intersection and the Kuakini Highway/Kaiwi Street intersection. Phase 2 of the project would include the development of a retail complex along the south side of Makala Boulevard. Phase 2 traffic is expected to worsen conditions for Phase 1 development vehicles exiting the north leg of Luhia Street intersection with Makala Boulevard and further increase the need for traffic signal control of that intersection. The large increase in traffic forecast for the Makala Boulevard intersection with Queen Ka'ahumanu Highway during the afternoon peak hour would exceed the capacity of that intersection by 4 percent, with conditions at Level of Service F. The study concludes that the high volume of traffic turning left onto northbound Queen Ka'ahumanu Highway would warrant the provision of a second left-turn lane on the mauka-bound approach of Makala Boulevard. With this additional turn lane, the forecast year 2020 afternoon peak hour volume with approximately 88 percent of capacity with average vehicle delay equivalent to Level of Service D. The increased project traffic would not significantly affect the forecast conditions at the intersections of Queen Ka'ahumanu Highway with Kaiwi Street or Palani Road. The new project service road and driveway intersections along Makala Boulevard and the Old Airport Road are expected to operate at acceptable conditions with stop signals. The Traffic Impact Study was submitted to the State Department of Transportation and the County Department of Public Works for their review and comment. The applicant will make all improvements recommended by the Traffic Impact Study and shall provide