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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0843.012 2020-2022 I From: Julie Engelhardt Sent: Thursday, lune 30, 2022 5:12 PM T : Council Testimony Subject: Testimony on Comm. 843: REQUESTS AN UPDATE FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS REGARDING THE WAIANUENUE AVENUE REHABILITATION PROJECT COMMUNICATIONS `"' Co 3o REQUESTS AN UPDATE FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS REGARDINP THS,! " WAIANUENUE AVENUE REHABILITATION PROJECT From Council Member Susan L. K. Lee Loy, dated June 3, 2022. June 30, 2022 a Dear Chair Lee Loy and Committee Members: Thank you for holding a meeting to ask the Department of Public Works (DPW)about the Waianuenue Avenue repaving project. As a resident of Hilo, and an avid bicyclist and walker, this project is very important to me. I appreciate that the County Council, Mayor and DPW supported the project. I'm aware that the Complete Streets policy was adopted by the County of Hawaii. I fully support it's execution to make Hilo and Hawaii a more bicycle and pedestrian friendly place to live and visit. It has been brought to my attention that the DPW has not included bicycle lanes in the re-striping plan, contrary to this adaptation, and would like to make commentary on this decision. Our current street set up and traffic patterns make it difficult to cycle around town. If more space is dedicated to bicycle lanes it would change not only the safety of bicycling, but also drivers attitudes toward sharing the road. People would drive less, become more active, and make Hilo a better place for people to get out of their cars to shop, exercise and recreate. These activities have a wide range of benefits to our community, from growth in business due to foot traffic to health and mental well-being. I have heard back-door talks on why the policy is not being adopted for this project, namely that it will take away from parking, that it will slow traffic down, that it's dangerous to mix bicycles and vehicles, and few people in Hilo bicycle. I disagree and ask that the County Council support the Complete Street policy and specifically compel the DPW to reconsider their position to include bicycle lanes on Waianuenue. Indeed, narrowing the roads with the addition of bicycle lanes would slow traffic down, but this is beneficial on this route. As you are aware, Waianuenue goes through highly pedestrian traffic locations such as the Hilo School Complexes, the public library, a park, and downtown with foot traffic store fronts. We do not want a speedway here. Slowing traffic would be a benefit, because it should be slower past these public places and allow residents to move more freely. Bicyclists would be less likely to use the sidewalk, improving pedestrian safety. It has been noted that bicycles are dangerous to mix with automobiles. This is true if bicyclists are not given the space or drivers do not provide them the right to be in traffic. A dedicated bike lane would increase safety by allowing bicycles room to ride and start to change public perception that bicycling is a legitimate use of road space. I've heard the concern that bike lanes will take away parking. Hilo High School has a capital funds project to build parking on the books that will fully mitigate any lost parking. If more people are biking to the downtown area, less parking stalls are needed. Lastly, it is said that DPW engineers don't see all that many bicyclists. There are bicyclists; I'm one of them. We have a strong group of regular cyclists and many more that would join the sport if they felt safer on the road and Comm.No. i Ref.To: Ref. fe - there were more bicycle friendly places to ride. People want to bicycle for many reasons, going green, getting exercise, spending time together, reducing waste and their footprint. We need to embrace the mindset to grow the capacity. I hope that the County Council can assist with guiding our County forward with the full adoption of the Complete Streets plan, and specifically in this current project, in a more green and people friendly direction that is beneficial to our entire community. Please ensure that Waianuenue is re-striped with a multi-model concept that includes space for pedestrians and bicycles. Sincerely, Julie Engelhardt Hilo Resident and Small Business Owner 2