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MtY Os h� <br /> C.Kimo Alameda,Ph.D. u°:�'� •' .., William V.Brilhante,Jr. <br /> Mayor t'�i Managing Director <br /> Merrick Nishimoto <br /> Deputy Managing Director <br /> kullunk of"Utual"i <br /> Offtre of fh>e Mapr <br /> 25 Aupuni Street,Suite 2603 • Hilo, Hawai'i 96720 • (808)961-8211 Fax(808)961-6553 <br /> KONA: 74-5044 Ane Keohok5lole Hwy.,Bldg C • Kailua-Kona, Hawaii 96740 <br /> (808)323-4444 • Fax(808)323-4440 <br /> Seventeenth Amended Traffic Emergency Zone Declaration And <br /> Seventeenth Waipi`o Valley Road Declaration Of Emergency <br /> WHEREAS, Waipi`o Valley Road is a four-wheel drive County road located on the <br /> northern Hamakua Coast of Hawaii Island. The road is narrow and winds down the steep <br /> hillside of the south valley wall. <br /> WHEREAS, Waipi`o Valley Road is the only vehicular ingress and egress for Waipi`o <br /> Valley. <br /> WHEREAS, Waipi`o Valley Road is used by residents of Waipi`o Valley, farmers who <br /> transport agricultural products grown and harvested in Waipi`o Valley, Hawaii County <br /> residents, visitors, and authorized tour operators. <br /> WHEREAS, Waipi`o Valley Road presents significant safety risks. For example, it lacks <br /> shoulders or adequate troughs to catch falling rocks and debris. The road is slippery, particularly <br /> after heavy rains, and adequate stormwater infrastructure is lacking. Some portions of the road <br /> are unpassable for two vehicles. Limited sight distance along the road hampers driver ability to <br /> safely navigate oncoming traffic and pedestrians in the roadway. <br /> WHEREAS, Waipi`o Valley Road descends about 800 feet in elevation over <br /> approximately 4100 feet. Rock outcropping and vegetation overhang the road. <br /> WHEREAS, Waipi`o Valley Road can experience significant amounts of runoff, <br /> particularly after heavy rains. Historically, the County closes the road following periods of <br /> heavy rain and to clear rock, soil and vegetation which has fallen on and across the road. <br /> WHEREAS, a slope failure occurred in March 2019 following heavy rainfall and high <br /> streamflow associated with Hurricane Lane. The primary slide was approximately 500 feet tall <br /> and 70 feet wide. Additional upslope landslide events occurred in April 2018 and February <br /> 2019. <br /> WHEREAS, on or about April 2, 2020, the County hired a consultant, Hart Crowser,to <br /> conduct a Preliminary Geotechnical Engineering Evaluation. <br /> WHEREAS, the County's receipt of the completed Hart Crowser's Preliminary <br /> Geotechnical Report dated January 2022 ("Report") occurred in January 2022. <br /> County of Hawaii is an Equal Opportunity Provider and Employer. <br />