HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0843.009 2020-2022 P/pwrc
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From: James Eller
Sent: Thursday, June 30, 2022 10:44 AM
To. Council Testimony
Subject: Written testimony for Agenda Item: Comm. 843 .)
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Re: COMMUNICATIONS "',C ;
Comm. 343: REQUESTS AN UPDATE FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS REGAR G Tfi w,
WAIANUENUE AVENUE REHABILITATION PROJECT
From Council Member Susan L. K. Lee Loy, dated June 3, 2022.
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Dear Honorable County Councilmembers,
My name is James Eller and I currently live near Hilo Union school. I am writing in support of bike lanes for
the repaving of Waianuenue Avenue between Hilo Union School and the Kaumana Drive junction. I picked
up cycling after moving from Hawaii to the Northwest many years ago and it has enriched my life in many
ways. I currently commute to work and recreate on the section of road being considered for bike lanes.
The current condition forces cyclists to either risk being hit by motorists by biking on the narrow lanes or
use the sidewalk. Biking on the sidewalk is very dangerous for a number of reasons and it interferes with
pedestrians. Installing bike lanes will encourage others to engage in a healthy form of recreation and
commuting. Our family relocated from Honolulu where bike lanes were a regular part of the transportation
system. It was disappointing to see that cycling has not been prioritized as a viable form of transportation in
Hilo.
From my experience, if you take the extra time and effort to put in the bike lanes, more and more people
will begin to use them and it will improve the quality of life for those living in the city. Furthermore, the cities
with bike lanes have become increasingly popular places to live and work. There is no better time than now
to modernize our infrastructure and create a vibrant and desirable place to live for future generations.
Aloha,
James Eller
Comm No.
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