2024-11-06 SK GP Testimony to LPC (Signed)

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Communication No. 2019-10 Waikoloa Subcommittee's Waikoloa Road-Paniolo Avenue Intersection Report The subcommittee recommends supporting the CIP with communications to the Department of Public Works, the Traffic and Engineering Divisions within the Department of Public Works, and the Mayor. If the SKCDP Action Committee can assist with public input or other activities with the scope of the Action Committee, the subcommittee recommends providing that assistance. 1. Executive Summary Based on community feedback and observations, the intersection of Waikoloa Road, Paniolo Avenue, and Pua Melia Street at Waikoloa Village in South Kohala has become increasingly dangerous and is in need of safety improvements. The intersection is also steadily becoming busier and certain routes, such as left turns from Paniolo Avenue onto Waikoloa Road during morning commute hours, appear to be below the acceptable level of service for this type of intersection. Furthermore, the Waikoloa Village area is growing quickly, including new affordable housing development and new shopping center development, and any problems with the intersection are likely to become worse in the near future. Options for developing improvements to the intersection have been considered in the past and developer obligations were added on some rezoning and subdivision approvals decades ago, but these have not resulted in producing the needed safety and capacity improvements. In fact, it appears that this path will not succeed, as there are no signs of progress from any of the developers, and it is time for the County to take action regarding the intersection. The South Kohala Community Development Plan (SKCDP) includes multiple Policies and Strategies relating to improving safety and circulation of the South Kohala and Waikoloa Village roadways, and also references the 2005 Hawaii County General Plan which specifically lists providing traffic signals to the Waikoloa Road-Paniolo Avenue intersection as one of the "Courses of Action" for South Kohala. The intersection could be improved in various ways, but this subcommittee suggests having the intersection studied by traffic professionals to recommend the necessary and best improvements and then proceeding on those recommendations. The improvements could be funded by the County through a project initiated with the CIP process or through a project initiated at the Department of Public Works. In either case, the subcommittee recommends requesting the Traffic Division at DPW to perform a traffic count and analysis to begin the process. June 18, 2019 Page 2 of 17