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Wairne,a. is loca,ic•d iii the di€itl id o[ '1100h Ill the= Gourliv. of I ictUlraii, `iCtlii E ! is E<ri aerial photoc rraph that V`/�Ji -lc.a region. Figt_frc, 2 illy/sircd(s the: le-gion I ror;dway network. In Waimea, Facino-Future-A CoillmUllitv� Design Primer, by I�!ino Walker, it is described as follows: Waimea is arl unincorporated up -country town in the saddle of the Kohala Mountains and Mauna Kea. Development is centered at a crossroads that forms its commercial core. The east side of town, also known as the "wet -side", stretches five miles to Lakeland in a mix of large and small agricultural parcels and residential subdivisions. To the west, the "dry -side," development extends eight miles down Kawaihae Road to include Kanehoa, Anekona, and the future development of Ouli. The commercial businesses are a mix of daily needs, building and farm supplies, auto repair, and includes two major grocery stores. Tourism supports a number of boutique/specialty shops (clothing, arts and crafts, etc.), and a diverse set of restaurants. Waimea is also a professional center with a large new hospital and the operational headquarters for some of Mauna Kea's telescopes. Agriculture — ranching, truck farming, and nurseries — are a major, but shrinking, part of the local economy. Waimea hosts a public elementary and middle school, and eleven private and independent charter schools. According to 2000 US Census, Waimea has an estimated population of 7,028. The South Kohala area has experienced one of the fastest population growths on the Island of Hawaii, as shown in Figure 3. This growth has put stress on the transportation infrastructure, resulting in traffic congestion during the morning, mid-afternoon, and afternoon peak periods in Waimea town. These traffic issues are not new to Waimea. As far back as 1986, the update of the comprehensive plan by the County of Hawaii identified traffic congestion and the Lindsey Road bottleneck as issues. In 2005, the County of Hawaii adopted an updated General Plan. In it, it identified several policies specifically for Waimea and South Kohala including: Encourage the preservation of the rural, ranching character within the town of Waimea, and growth of astronomy R&D; Preserving the beauty of the pu'us and pastures above town (area identified by area following the tree lines from HPA to Church Row; Encourage the State Department of Education to explore the feasibility of establishing a high school in the South Kohala district; E Continue to seek additional groundwater sources for the Waimea System; CooAy of Herfifak 1/Va,inlea Traffic CirculE tion study PP k c_. Decernber 200