2008-01-03 THUALALAI - Laserfiche WebLink

Home

CHAIRMAN:Commissioner Fujikawa? FUJIKAWA:Councilman Tyler, I think one of the big issues was on Palani Road. Can you address the present or the future of Palani Road? TYLER:Thank you, Commissioner Fujikawa. I wish I could give you a definitive answer. I am happy to report that thereÓs a survey crew out there this morning, and there was one yesterday afternoon when I came home. I believe that the County is moving forward with my long-requested public safety improvements. It has been standing in the CIP since 1997, previous administration took no action. Current administration, as I think I previously reported, has set aside approximately $2 million to do safety, road safety improvements on Palani which, as we all k At my suggestion and a suggestion of an engineer who was working on a nearby project, we were suggesting that the intersection of Kealakaa and Palani be realigned to align with Paliholo Street, which is the northern-most entry and exit into the Queen Liliuokalani Village. I think as everybody knows, the overpass, the supports for the overpass are so narrow, or so close together, that you couldnÓt widen the street enough to make for the left-turn pocket lanes that would be necessary to make that effective. So, it was suggested that, you know, we tried to not only remedy the dangerous situation at Kealakaa but also at Paliholo, which causes traffic to back up because of the left turns in and out of there in the morning and afternoon. So thatÓs one of the areas that the Department of Public Works is looking at. I recently had the opportunity to meet with the consultants after requesting for many, actually, years to talk to somebody about the ideas that the community had with respect to improving it. And there are a number of areas, I think, which wonÓt be of high cost to assist. But I agree with those who indicated that Palani is a real hazardous road. ItÓs a, as youÓve heard me say before on numerous occasions, itÓs a road that was constructed for horses and cattle and now as a major arterial road without much of an upgrade. And I would suggest that the Commission request information from the Department of Public Works regarding that project because thatÓs where it is. And, unfortunately, based on information IÓve been getting, the $2 million is, seems to be mo improvements to that intersection, mostly in terms of a traffic signal enhancement and relocation, realignment of it. Seems traffic signals are getting more expensive these days as we read about the ones out on the Queen K and Waikoloa area. I have been and continue to be appalled at the amount of money that this would be costing, because there are so many other things that need to be done. But perhaps it would be necessary in next yearÓs budget to augment the CIP funding for Palani Road. One of the problems, Commissioner Fujikawa and members of the Co the right-of-way is very narrow. And as I think everybody knows some of the homes along there are very old homes, people that have lived here all their lives; and I think it would, we really need to find an alternative route. And Kealakehe Parkway extension mauka up at least to Kealakaa, if not to the planned Palani Road mauka intersection with Highway 180, which is the Mamalahoa Highway to Honalo, is really needed. I see the 28