|
to Kealakekua and Captain Cook. These areas are already suffering from trafficjams
<br />today. I dont know how many of you travel this route, but it can get pretty hectic.
<br />Traffic movement at the junction of the two roads, Mamalahoa and Kuakini, is jammed in
<br />the afternoons and evenings. On Kuakini Highway going southbound fromthe junction
<br />about three to five miles back, theres a traffic jam cars creeping along. Some cars will
<br />,
<br />scoot mauka, go to Mamalahoa, and then use that like a grand prix highway to get to the
<br />junction so that they can merge into the main line traffic, beat the others who are seating
<br />by further back. The drivers are pretty lucky because they can, you know, they can get
<br />in, what I call driver courtesy, you know, people are nice.
<br />But as projects like this increase the volume of cars, I think that kind of spirit, you know,
<br />karma its going to diminish. Theres going to be driver, drivers are going to cut in and
<br />,
<br />cut off; and thats not a healthy traffic situation.
<br />Accessfromdrivewaysaregettingmoreandmoredifficult.Farmersare,theyhaveto
<br />adjust their life to sell their coffee because of all this heavy volume. If you dont get out
<br />in time, you know, its going to, they have to adjust their lifestyle tremendously, the
<br />quality of life. Projects such as this worsens already a bad situation. If you were stuck in
<br />Honalo and Kainaliu, youd go nuts.
<br />Signficant adverse effects can be mitigated or avoided. You can use your reins and say,
<br />oh, slow down. Because once a project is approved, mitigation is pretty much out of the
<br />question, but avoidance can. Its time to do some thinking and say, you know, what can
<br />we do to prevent the worsening of the traffic situation.
<br />So I ask you, please dont approve this project that will add 800-plus car stalls and over
<br />5,000 average daily car trips. Dont add that to the inadequate transportation
<br />infrastructure. Thank you.
<br />SPRINGER:Thank you, Mr. Murata. Are there any questions for the testifier?
<br />Seeing none, Ms. Keliipio?
<br />KELIIPIO:My name is Josephine Keliipio. My address is 76-168 Royal
<br />Poinciana Drive, Kailua-Kona. And I have lived in this area, general area, where this
<br />commercial area is going to be built. I live on Alii Kais, sorry, I live on Alii Kai, in Alii
<br />Kai Subdivision. Its a very old subdivision. It was built back in the 60s; and I moved
<br />into that area in 88. Now, if I were to walk from my home up to this commercial area
<br />would be about a little bit over a mile, because Id have to follow the road up to the
<br />commercial area. And as much as this developer thinks that theyre doing a good thing
<br />for the community, theyre talking in terms of it being very car-oriented. In order for
<br />them to, in order for them to be useful to the Pualani Estates Subdivision, those people
<br />are going to have to cross that very, very busy, busy, busy, busy highway. And highways
<br />arent nice to pedestrians, which means that theyre going to have to jump in their cars
<br />and still drive across. Okay? So, as much as the developer is saying, oh, you know, this
<br />is going to be more walkable, yes and no. Its mostly no. Its still designed for the car.
<br />And Im wondering how am I going to get over there and walk and shed some pounds,
<br />27
<br />
<br />
|