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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0609.051 2022-2024 P/Gounci Sill 107 COMM.�09 From: M Browne Sent: Sunday, January 21, 2024 2:34 PM To: Council Testimony Subject: Testimony- Bill 107 Q.c . ,. . Aloha! My name is Marcia Browne, I'm concerned,tax paying,voting, resident of the Puna District anc have . resided in Pahoa for over 20 years! I support Bill 107 without any blanket exemptions or restrictions on the study's scope so it can-determine what pathways are possible for consideration for the betterment of the Puna community. I'm submitting my testimony via email in support of how the passing of Bill 107 will benefit the people of the Puna District, and how it will change the lives of many families,their children and elders in Upper and Lower Puna District. Not having an alternative route to get to Hilo could very possibly be a life or death situation for anyone at any age! We're all at a major disadvantage with only one road in and out of Puna! The following is a true story that happened to our family: Last May 2023 our children came to visit us on vacation, during their visit they decided to go for a walk, they took their two year old baby girl for a walk in her stroller. They decided to go exploring and took the baby stroller along Waa Waa - Red Road,they then decided they wanted to see the ocean and took a side road to find a viewing point. Not being familiar with the area or terrain they took the baby stroller downhill! Our son hit some large boulders and he tripped forward and fell and lost control of the baby stroller! The stroller went flying hit more boulders and branches and flipped upside down. • It was a freak accident! Our son scrambled to his feet and chased after the runaway baby stroller and saw the stroller as it flip forward! He said it was like slow motion as he raced down hill chasing the runaway stroller with the baby strapped in the seat! When he finally reached the stroller it was upside down he could hear his little girl's horrific screaming! As he flipped the stroller over he discovered her face covered in blood as she screamed in agony! His wife came running she had been walking several paces behind and saw what happened at a distance! As they removed the baby from her stroller they noticed several baby teeth on the ground under her stroller! The baby's mouth was cut and bleeding profusely! They were in an unfamiliar area a distance from our home and the baby's mouth was spurting blood! The mother quickly ripped off her T-shirt and applied it to the baby's face to apply pressure lightly! She was wearing a sports bra, so at least she has some coverage! They raced back up to the road to try and hail someone down to give them a ride back to our house! II(� c Comm. No. 0(I• CI Ref.To: 1 Ref. Dote .,LiAN 2 4 VA The mother hailed the only car on the road, two ladies slowed down when they saw the mother clutching her baby to her chest with a blood soaked T-shirt across the baby's face,they offered assistance! Thank God for Good Samaritans! Once in their car our son called us to tell us what it happened. Upon learning what had happened I immediately called our dentist, he advised us to not waste time, and race her to ER ASAP! 2 Traffic seemed to be flowing in our favor until we passed Makuu Market and approached the Ainaloa Roundabout! Just as we entered the lane to enter the roundabout there was an altercation right at the entrance to the roundabout! A man had been tailgating the car in front of him, and right at the entry to the roundabout, a woman put her car in park and jumped out of her car, and started screaming at the man behind her! She was very upset and was screaming and pounding on his window.The man could not do anything because he was trapped just as we were,we were right behind the man watching her antics! Traffic was brought to a halt! Time seemed to stand still,we were trapped and helpless! Once we got through the roundabout,traffic was very, slow, and it seemed like it took us forever to get to the ER! Had there been an alternate route, there's a very strong possibility traffic would not have been so heavy and we there we would had a choice of an alternate road to Hilo! In retrospect our situation was minor but can you imagine if it was a life or death situation? Or if it was your mother who had a heart attack? Or another family member who needed emergency medical services quickly? It's for this reason that I feel the need to testify, I've cared for family elders, and I've ridden in the back of an ambulance many times when traffic was congested and getting to the hospital as quickly as possible was a life or death situation! Punaneeds an alternate route for emergency situations and for better traffic flow. This problem is not going to go away, it cannot be ignored or swept under the rug! The population of the Puna District has grown dramatically in the 20 +years our family has lived on the Big Island. It's the fastest growing District in the State of Hawaii and it will only continue to grow! Puna District Fastest Growing In Hawaii: https://www.google.com/search?q=puna+district+fastest+growing+in+hawaii&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF- 8&hl=en-us&client=safari Please refer to the link that I have included. It's going to continue to grow, and the cost will be much more expensive in the future, that's if we don't do anything now! The Tax Paying,Voting Residents of Lower and Upper Puna need to be heard and listened to!We voted for you all to represent the Puna District.We need you to represent and listen to the needs of our community! We deserve to be heard! I hope you all will consider my testimony to support and pass Bill 107 without any blanket exemptions or restrictions on the study's scope such that we can determine what pathways are possible for consideration. Thank you for your time, patience and your consideration in the matter of supporting and passing Bill 107. Sincerely Marcia Browne Hawaiian Shores Recreational Estates Pahoa, HI 4