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4�. 3.4 Public Facilities and Services 3.4.1 Roads and Traffic Existing Facilities A traffic engineer analyzed the existing traffic circulation and parking facilities and the impact that the project would have on these (Appendix 6). The circulation system around the project site is illustrated in Figure 5. This part of downtown is isolated by Waianuenue Avenue from the rest of downtown, and the streets in this area function mostly as local streets providing access to Iocal businesses and government facilities (the Hilo Armory, the County Housing Office, etc.). Shipman Street, Keawe Street, and Wailuku Drive are all one -way. A certain amount of traffic from Kamehameha Avenue also uses the lower part of Wailuku Drive to access the Puueo neighborhood and points mauka. Traffic volumes are low on Wailuku Drive - generally less than 50 vehicles per hour - except during special events. Public alleys mauka and makai of the Hilo Armory provide access across the Armory block. The two -block area bounded by Kamehameha Avenue, Wailuku Drive, Waianuenue Avenue, and Keawe Street contains a total of 168 public parking spaces. An additional 16 spaces on the mauka side of Keawe Street and on Kekaulike Street also serve this area, bringing the total to 184 spaces. Impacts and Proposed Mitigation Measures Under both the No- Project and Wailuku Drive As -Is Alternatives, little impact to traffic patterns would occur. The Wailuku Drive Closure Alternative would impact circulation to some degree. Traffic bound mauka on Wailuku Drive would be obliged to use the existing turning circle or the makai alley near the Armory and travel via Waianuenue Avenue to access Keawe Street. The low volume of traffic using this route would result in little adverse impact to the system; however, this street functions as part of the only route (Kamehameha- Wailuku- Wainaku -Hwy. 19) where streets have sufficient turning radius to allow large trucks to cross-the Wailuku River in the event of a closure of the Highway 19 bridge. Parking would also be lost. A total of 17 parking spaces would be removed and converted to park uses. Because this represents about 10 percent of the total parking spaces in the area, which are seldom fully utilized, this impact might not be considered major. However, local businesses and business associations have expressed deep concern over the loss of any parking spaces whatsoever in Downtown Hilo. Employees of the County of Hawaii's Office of Housing and Community Development utilize approximately 30 spaces during business hours. It is very likely that this office will relocate sometime during the next year. The Hawaii County Department of Parks and Recreation may then move some of thdir activities from adjacent parts of the building into the spaces vacated by OHCD, but do not anticipate an addition of more than 10 full -time equivalent positions. This would result in a net 16