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JArakaki
From: "May Lyn Powell" <maylyn@hawaii.rr.com>
To: <jarakaki@interpac.net>; <hoelike@sasami.interpac.net>
Cc: "Bets Lawrence" <lawrence@ilhawaii.net>; "John Ray" <jray464562@aol.com>
Sent: Tuesday, May 20, 2003 4:51 PM
Subject: Waimea Speed Limit Signage - Bill 96 - 5/21/03 Meeting Agenda
T0: Council Chairman Arakaki
Councilman Elaricnoff
FROM: May Lyn K. Powell
Waimea Resident
RE: Kawaihae Road and Opelo Road Corner
I have been attending the monthly South Kohala Traffic Safety
Committee meetings for 2-1/2 years. My major areas of concern are
the many traffic congestion, flow and safety problems in Waimea
town. These problems are hugely impacted by our main street also
serving as a highway from one side of the island to the other. As we
all know, most of this cross-island traffic should not even be in
Waimea, but Hawaii Island's drivers have yet to be provided with a
by-pass highway. We have had many discussions in the monthly
meetings about how to slow down the traffic in our town. Many cross-
island drivers speed through Waimea. There are great numbers of huge
heavy trucks. The speeding traffic makes it nearly impossible and
very dangerous for Waimea's residents to go about their business and
errands in town as it is almost impossible to enter and exit
driveways along the highway if you need to turn left. Between the
ball park and the Dept. of Water Supply base yard at Opelo Corner
there is a 25 mile school zone. The minute drivers pass the school
the driving speeds increase dramatically. By the time vehicles reach
Opelo Corner drivers are often doing 45 mph.
Councilman Elarionoff suggested we could adjust some of the speed
limit signs on the we:~t side of Waimea just past Opelo Plaza. The
Police representative said it would make it easier for their
department to ticket for speeding if the signs were changed. We
voted on this motion ,snd it is on your agenda for the May 21st
meeting.
Our proposal is:
Exiting Waimea, going East to West towards Kawaihae Harbor, the sign
currently adjacent to Opelo Plaza (Merriman's resaurant) says "Begin
35 Mile Speed". We would like this sign changed to "Speed Limit
30".
Further down the road at the State/County line and adjacent to Hale
Comm. No._ 2~ 5/21/03
Ref. To• oraa..?w IAnu 1
Ref. CateMA~_
Page 2 of 2
Kea (also known as The Jacaranda Inn), there is a sign that
says "Speed Limit 35". This sign needs to be changed to "Begin 35".
On the other side of the road, coming in to town going West to East,
we need a sign placed near the Sandalwood subdivision that says
"Reduced Speed Ahead". At the State/County line we need the sign
changed from "Speed limit 35" to "Begin 30 Mile Speed".
On the Honokaa side <~f Waimea the speed limit already says "Speed
Limit 30", but this sign appears further out of town than on the
Kawaihae side of Waimea where the signs abruptly drop speeds from 35
to 30 to 2.5 in the space of a few blocks. We need to get vehicles
slowed down sooner as they approach from. Kawaihae.
Mahalo for your assi:,tance with making Waimea safer.
Sincerely,
May Lyn K. Powell
Tel. #885-7223
P 0 Box 2336
Kamuela, HI 96743
5/21 /03