HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0715.009 2022-2024 P / Fc
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From: Attila Denes
Sent: Sunday, February 4, 2024 7:17 PM
To: ' Council Testimony
Subject: Testimony in support of Bill 131-24, Committee on Finance, February 6, 2024
Honorable Committee on Finance:
My name is Attila C. Denes. I am a resident of the Nanawale Estates subdivision in Puna District, County
Council District 4. I am writing in support of Bill 131-24, concerning the study of a Puna Alternate Route.
As Council is aware, Highway 130 is currently the only route into or out of the lower Puna District,which
results in daily traffic congestion throughout the entire corridor. The idea of constructing an alternate route
to Hilo has been suggested and studied ad nauseum for three decades, to no avail. All the while, the
population of Puna has steadily increased, and is projected to grow substantially over the next ten years. The
lack of sufficient transportation infrastructure connecting the lower Puna District to the rest of the island is
not just a matter of inconvenience for travelers, nor is it a problem limited to economic, environmental, or
cultural concerns. One need not look beyond the recent wildfire catastrophe in Lahaina to understand that
insufficient ingress and egress during times of emergency can literally mean the difference between life and
death for potentially thousands of residents.
I urge the Committee to vote favorably on Bill 131-24, so that a meaningful and hopefully effectual study of a
Puna Alternate Route can be conducted. Beyond that, I would urge County Council to do whatever is
necessary to overcome the resistance of the various stakeholders so that an alternative transportation
corridor can finally be realized.
Very respectfully, c)
Attila C. Denes , --{
14-833 Kapuna Rd.#2446
Pahoa, HI 96778 -71c
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