2004-10-01 TKONA HALE - Laserfiche WebLink

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SIRACUSA:I wish it were better but, you know, thatll have to do. Thank you. SPRINGER:Thanks, Ki. Now, if you could please raise your hands, to the testifiers. Sorry, thank you. If you could please read your name and your address into the record. Starting with you, Mr. Gimpel. GIMPEL:My name is Joel Gimpel. I reside at 73-4686 Hinalani Street here in Kailua-Kona, and Im testifying here on behalf of the Kona Traffic Safety Committee. Im the Public Affairs Chair of that organization. You want me to start? SPRINGER:Please. GIMPEL:Okay. Well, weve reviewed this application and understand that approval had been granted back in November of 2001 for the 80-unit project on little morethantwoacres,andthatthisnewapplicationwillthereforeresultinlessdensitybut, of course, 12 more homes. We also acknowledge that the Applicant will construct curb, gutter and sidewalk all along Hualalai Road, and provide 184 parking stalls even though only 115 are required by the ordinance. Our principal concern focuses on the additional vehicle traffic that will be generated by the project in an area thats already experiencing significant congestion during the morning and afternoon peak hours. Furthermore, the area will soon be burdened, as youve heard just a few minutes ago, with additional delays due to the widening of Kuakini Highway from Hualalai Road to Palani Road, waterline improvements on Kuakini Highway, which you havent heard about, from Hualalai Road south for nearly two miles, and that is going to start in April of 2005 and go through November of 2005, and, of course, the Phase 1 widening of Queen Kaahumanu Highway, which was supposed to start in July of this year and as youve just heard hasnt been started and probably wont start for a while. So the traffic Levels of Service are already at minimally acceptable levels at several of the affected intersections and at an unacceptable level at another. We therefore take exception with the traffic study, the reports absurd conclusion that mitigating measures wouldnt be required and suggest that construction of this project be delayed until the planned Kuakini Highway roadway and waterline improvements are completed, otherwise youre going to have real gridlock in the area. We also question the need for two driveways on Hualalai Road, because each additional driveway, in other words, each additional intersection will further disrupt the flow of vehicular, bicycle and pedestrian traffic and create yet another dangerous intersection. The intersections are where most traffic accidents occur. Furthermore, the sight lines from the driveways at each end of the projects Hualalai Road frontage as contemplated in the plan are too short because Hualalai Road curves before, on the mauka side and makai of the project. It would be safest to place one driveway in the middle of the projects frontage along Hualalai Road, rather than at each end, that way youd have better sight lines going both to right and to the left. 12