2024-09-04 Waipio Valley Rd continued and Emergency Rule No. 2 and Emergency Rule No. 1: 13th amended traffic emergency zone

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Thirteenth Amended Traffic Emergency Zone Declaration and Thirteenth Waipi`o Valley Road Declaration of Emergency Page 2 of 4 WHEREAS, the County's receipt of the completed Hart Crowser's Preliminary Geotechnical Report dated January 2022 ("Report") occurred in January 2022. WHEREAS, the Report provided geotechnical data regarding the current condition of the road and hazard ratings associated with those condition, which further detailed the described the dangers Waipi`o Valley Road poses to the health, safety and welfare of the people. WHEREAS, the County retained Hart Crowser, now a division of Haley & Aldrich, to further evaluate Waipi`o Valley Road and recommend specific mitigation measures to make the road safe. WHEREAS, Haley & Aldridge submitted a report to the County dated September 30, 2022 entitled Rockfall and Slope Instability Mitigation and Conceptual Design Summary Report "Summary Report" wherein it recommended a phased mitigation approach to address numerous hazards along the roadway. (See Summary port). WHEREAS, the Department of Public Works held an initial community meeting on October 26, 2022, at the gymnasium in Honokaa and discussed the findings of the Summary Report as well as plans to make additional safety improvements to the roadway. The overall schedule and impacts to the community during the 2 to 3-year construction were discussed. WHEREAS, remediation efforts have commenced to increase the safety of Waipi`o Valley Road and are ongoing. To this end, the County is finishing mitigation work (referred to as Phase 1) which commenced on or about June 1, 2023, and has plans to perform additional work over the next two (2) years (referenced currently as Phase 2 and Phase 3). A public meeting was held on May 1, 2023, to discuss road conditions, planned work, and additional meetings are planned prior to performing further mitigation activities. WHEREAS, the current condition poses substantial endangerment to public health and safety, and warrants preemptive and protective action in order to provide for the health, safety, and welfare of the people using the road who will be negatively impacted if the road fails and residents are unable to enter and exit Waipi`o Valley. WHEREAS, the current danger to pedestrians navigating Waipi`o Valley Road presents an unacceptable risk that cannot be corrected absent regulations and/or remediation. WHEREAS, limiting vehicular access generally, and, specifically, to drivers familiar with the current road conditions is a necessary action for vehicular navigation of Waipi`o Valley Road until adequate remediation measures can be implemented. WHEREAS, Hawaii Revised Statutes ("HRS"), Section 264-1.5, permits establishment of a traffic emergency zone in response to substantial endangerment to public health and safety which is or is highly likely to be caused by the temporary closure of, or the lack of adequate access to Waipio Valley via Waipio Valley Road.