HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0562.001 2002-2004 Ron L. Bush
73-4318C Keokeo Street
Kailua-Kona, HI 96740 ! ~
March ts, 2004 1004 ~flfl 18 PIS 3 G9
Councilman James Arakaki COUNI~ ~ ~
77-6399 Nalani Street, #104 " ,~I
Kailua-Kona, HI 96740
Re: Removal of Keokeo Street barricade and creation of northlsouth access roads
Dear Councilman Arakaki,
As a homeowner in the Kona Highlands subdivision I traveled to and from work in Kona Town. I am
now in the process of relocating to the Kokua Loa subdivision. Right now, I, along with all residents
in my and the neighboring subdivisions have only three alternatives to get to work-Mamalahoa
Highway to Palani Road, or Mamalahoa Highway via Hina Lani or Kaiminani. None of these options
are without problems and removing the barricade at Keokeo Street will not solve these aroblems.
Might I suggest that a more prudent option would be to connect Hobholo Street through to Nana
Street and extend Kauwila Street from Loloa to Alihilani Drive. This provides all of these
subdivisions with northlsouth access from the Kaiminani arterial AT THE BOTTOM OF EACH OF
THE SUBDIVISIONS. If, as I assume, you are looking to lessen the impact of through traffic on
Kaiminani Drive from Queen K to Mamalahoa Highway, then providing access to the bottom of each
of the subdivisions makes the most sense for a number of reasons.
a) Emergency Vehicles: Fire trucks from the Palisades fire station can get to an emeroencv
in our subdivisions much more quickly. Having an older adult with medical conditions in our
household makes this very important to us.
b) VehiclelPedestrian Safety: The sight distance at Keokeo Street is severely limited for
cars traveling up Kaiminani. Just imagine this intersection when the sun is in your eyes
twice a day or when it's raining. I'd be very interested in knowing the number of accidents
that have already occurred at that intersection-let alone if you make it a through street.
The sight distance at Holoholo Street is easily 10 times greater.
c) Diversion of traffic from major intersections: Putting through Holoholo Street to connect
with the other subdivisions will divert thousands of vehicles from the bottleneck at Kaiminani
and Mamalahoa Highway at the base of each subdivision. While I still believe that you
should diligently be working with the state to install a traffic signal at this intersection, this will
mediate the traffic situation for a while. While putting through Keokeo may also divert traffic
away from the major intersections, the dangerous conditions at Keokeo Street will require
even further interventions. And nobody wants to see another "Royal Poinciana" with speed
bumps every hundred feet!
d) Impact on residential neighborhoods: Obviously, creation of new north/south connector
streets will have an impact on existing residential neighborhoods. Your decision is how to
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maximize the positive impacts while minimizing the negative impacts. As I see it, the
negative impacts are much less by connecting through at the bottom of each subdivision at
Holoholo and Kauwila Streets. If at some point in the future your traffic studies reveal that
an additional north/south access is necessary, then I would urge you to consider OneOne
Street rather than Keokeo Street for the very same arguments noted above-sight distance
being of primary concern.
In summary, alease do not remove the barricade at Keokeo Street. Instead, turn your attention to
the much more safe, logical, and accessible north south access of Holoholo SVeet and Kauwila
Street. Thank you for the opportunity to express my concerns.
Sincerely,
Ron .Bush
cc. Mayor Harry Kim
Councilman Aaron Chung
Councilman Leningrad Elarionoff
Councilman Fred Holschuh
Councilman Bob Jacobson
Councilman Joseph Reynolds
Councilman Gary Safarik
Councilman Michael Tulang
Councilman Curtis Tyler
Chris Yuen, Director of Planning Division
Bruce McClure, Director of Public Works