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Home My WebLink AboutCOM 0554.001 2000-2002 ii~E~~~TM~NT ®F PUBLIC VII®RtfS COUNTY OF HAWAII HILO, HAWAII DATA: April 23, 2002 r - To: LENINGRAD ELARIONOFF, Chairman - Public Works and Intergovernmental Relations f.,a Hawaii County Council Thru: DENNIS K. W. LEE, Director Department of Public Works . .A Froth: CASEY K. YANAGIHAR~, ision Chief Traffic Division SUBJECT: TRAFFIC CODE AMENDMENT, BILL NO. 196 SEAVIEW CIRCLE PROPOSED LEFT TURN PROHIBITION This is in response to the questions that were presented when the subject item was discussed at the April 2, 2002 meeting of the Committee on Public Works and Intergovernmental Relations. The following are our responses to the questions that came up at this meeting. 1. When was this subdivision created? The Kona Sea View Lots was given preliminary subdivision approval in May 1964, and the roadways were dedicated to the County in October 1967. Parcel Nos. 74, 75, and 76 are zoned neighborhood commercial, which allows multi-family dwellings. The driveway accesses for these parcels are from Seaview Circle. Please note that the access road (east/west road) leading into the subdivision is called the same name as the interior road. There were no access restrictions placed on the egress or ingress of these lots when the subdivision was first approved. 2. What did Engineering say about the left turn prohibition when the driveway permits came ~ by for their review and comment?~~ When the owners submitted the application for a driveway permit, the application was ~ treated as a routine permit application in which a driveway is allowed for each property. Memo to Elarionoff Page 2 of 2 4/23/02 During the construction of the driveways, our Engineering Division noticed the potential hazard and forwarded a request to Traffic Division to prohibit left-turn movements along the mauka portion of Seaview Circle, (makai of Kuakini Highway -see attached memorandum, dated November 20, 2001). We concurred with their assessment of the potential hazard, but reduced the left-turn prohibition to the three lots closest to Kuakini Highway, along the south side of Seaview Circle. 3. When the homes were built, were the owners made aware that this left turn prohibition would be coming forward? How were they contacted? If so, what kind of feedback did we receive from the owners? The owners were not notified of the proposal to prohibit left turns along this portion of Seaview Circle. We felt that the owners would be notified as part of the Council's process in communicating with the affected constituents when this code amendment was placed on the agenda. We apologize for this assumption. 4. Did we ever contact Councilmember Pisicchio? A copy of the December 13, 2001 letter to the Chair of the Kona Traffic Safety Committee concerning the Seaview Circle problem was forwarded to Councilmember Pisicchio (see attached). We did not receive any feedback from her concerning this matter. 5. A street like this, right off a major arterial, shouldn't have driveways on it at all. We totally agree with this assessment. An amendment to the County's Subdivision Code maybe necessary to prohibit driveways close to intersections of major highways. We support this proposal and are willing to meet with the other agencies to discuss a solution to this problem. The Seaview Circle left turn movement is a hazard because of the high traffic volumes on Kuakini Highway, and the limited sight distance caused by the steep grade of Seaview Circle. We do not object to this prohibition during certain times of the day when Kuakini Highway is busiest; however, the enforcement of the prohibited movement may be a problem. We were at one time, and may still propose, a median barrier to prohibit this left turn. We hope that we have answered all of your questions and concerns, and that the subject Bill can move forward. Should there be any additional questions, please feel free to contact Casey Yanagihara in our Traffic Division at 961-8341. Attachments Copy: DPW-ENG-KON APA-~02-02 TUE 12:32 PM Public Works Eng Kona FAX:308 327 3533 PAGE 1 ~Y oa ~y .4 1'IB ITy ISaHm r # D1n6CPAs ~e911~~ Ut~~ ~~~~en~lerr vvo 25 .R~nnt 3treea, Room 2g2 • k)t10, $lawald 96720-4252 (80~) 9d1 `8321 • Faest (~08) 961-8630 December 13, 2001 Ivls. Ann Peterson, Chair Kona Traffic Safety ComLnittee 77-180 I~elcai Place Kailua-Kona, HI 96740 SIJEJECT: Seaview Circle Attached. for your review and co~rtLnents is a copy of a request from ouur Emgineeritzg Division to prohibit left-turns along Seavie~v Circle between Kuakitai Highway and the connector roadway to the Seaview Circle loop roadway. We concur ~uvith their assessment that left-turning vehicles may cause a hatzard drag Certain times of the day. A traffic code amendment will be necessary to implement a turning prohibition. Please include this item on your agenda at the next committee meeting. Mahalo. RYCHARD H. N1S1-J1M~URA, P.E. Chief, Traffic Division Enclosures cc: Nancy Pisicchio, Council Member James Corxea, Police Chief ? Ben Ishii, Engirteering Division . -....v. Post-itw Fax Note ~g7t oate.l, ~ o ~ pig°~ss~ 3 To G ~ ~-4 Feom7 ~ CoJDept. l,.o. Phone a Phone A FAx a bbl ems ~ / Fax e APR~02-02 TUE 12:32 PM Public Works Eng Kona FAX:308 327 3533 PAGE 2 ~~P'ARTI~I~~T PIJ~LIC W~R~S cou~,-nr o~ t-tAwAu HILO HAWAII ®ATI~:November 20, 2001 TO :Richard Nishimura, Traffic ®ivision Chief I°Fi;®I~l den Ishii, Acting engineering [division Chief SU®J~C1' :Proposed Traffic Code Arr9endment Seavie~na Circle At Kuakini Nighv~ay Bntersection TnAK: 7-7-15: 71,73,74,75,76 and 77 This is to request an arnendrnent to the Traffic Code. A turn restriction on the traffic movements out of parcel 71 and 73 and into parcels 74-77 from the applicable n^aauka- makai portion of Seaview Circle should be codified. Queing of traffic on Seaviewe Circle at the traffic signal may cause traffic to back up on Kuakini Highv~ay if persons try to tum left there. The road d-rope steeply from the intersection, making sight distance less than desirable for anticipating stopped or crossing traffic. (Vehicles waiting to turn left into parcels 74-77 or and turning left out of parcels 71 and 73}. l-ions ar® presently under construction on parcels 74-77. Please also consider a median barrier to restrict the movement. Thank you very much. If you have any questions, please call Khan ~mler at our Kona office, 327-3530. Pax 327-3530 (out of order) fax to 327-3563 K~ c: EN C-I-I! LO/KONA APA-.02'-02 TUE 12:32 PM Public Yorks Eng Kona FAX:308 327 3533 PAGE 3 . . IJN~ ~ ~ y ~ ~ ~~~1~ ~ ~ L 1 ~'L¢'~ 1,737 1 ~ j irk b ~ ,fir ~70/) ''~•p Bt;rke~s fa dam ti~4~r~ .a J ,ac,,s• a _ a~i- ~ ~ pest ~ ' Rr~4 IPA ~ i ~ ~ , ~ J ' ~ r i®~.~~ o ~ ._,L ( I P~ ~ ~ 7.50.3 ~ f', ~ ~ ~ d 1 ~ - ~ :may . 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