HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0400.053 2002-2004 SidneyFuke, Planning Consultant
100 Pauahi Street, Suite 212 • Hilo, Hawaii 96720 • Planning • Variance • Zoning
Telephone: (808) 969-1522 • Fax: (808) 969-7996 ~ - 1 • Subdivision • Land Use Permits
~ ~ ~ ~ - ~ • Environmental Reports
March 18, 2004
2G04 f9flfl 23 P(7 4 00
Mr. Christopher Yuen Director
. Planning Department COUNT n~ f !~1l^:h111
COUNTY OF HAWAII
101 Pauahi Street
Hilo, HI 96720
Deaz Mr. Yuen:
Subject: Clifto's_ Kona Coast, LLC., TMK: 7-3-10.22
I am sorry for this belated response to your letter of February 4 regazding the
Traffic Impact Analysis Report prepared by M&E Pacific, Inc. for the subject project.
Please fmd enclosed a copy of its memo to me, dated March 8, 2004 regarding
this matter. I realize that there may be continuing questions on this issue. As such, if you
have more, please let me know and I can arrange to have the traffic engineer discuss them
with you directly.
Again, my apologies for this tardy response. Thank you very much.
cerely
~~~1
S DNEY M. FUKE
Planning Consultant
Copy -Mayor Harry Kim w/ enclosure
Council Chair James Arakaki and members of
the Council w/ enclosure
Clifto's Kona Coast, LLC w/ enclosure
M&E Pacific, Inc. w/o enclosure
Comm. No. t/~~•~
Ref. To:
t'~f L"ats
Pclcific, ~t1c. 100 Pauahi Street, Suite 212
Hi10,. HI 96720-3046
MEMORANDUM: R~r: ~d9.t161-2776
Fax: 808-935-5934
www. m-e.com
TO: Sidney Fuke
FROM: Harold Sugiyama ~j
DATE: March 8, 2004
SUBJECT: Clifto's LLC Project -Traffic Study
We have the following response to Christopher Yuen's letter of February 4, 2004.
We have analyzed signalized intersections rather than highway operations for two
reasons. First, traffic signals have a more adverse impact on highway operations that just
traffic volumes and become the constraining point along the roadway. Second, the
highway analysis assumes that there are no traffic signals along the analysis route. Also,
the levels of service for signalized intersections are not necessarily comparable with the
highway level of service since they represent different concepts of operations. The levels
of service for signalized intersections aze based on average delay while the levels of
service for two lane highway operations are based on the percent time spent following
other vehicles and average travel speeds. Level of service D for a Class 1 two lane
highway like Queen Kaahumanu Highway is defined as percent time following of 65-
80%and average travel speeds of 40 to 45 miles per hour. The average speed at level of
service D is still considered to be desirable.
The computer program used to analyze level of service for signalized intersections
assumes that there is no traffic backup from the adjacent intersections or other highway
operations. At the time of our traffic counts in October 2002, there were no traffic
backups from either of the two study intersections (Hina Lani Drive and Kaiminani
Drive) into the other. Also, there was no traffic queue from Kailua town. Therefore, the
signalized intersection level of service analysis was appropriate to use and the results
matched the traffic operations that were observed.
We calculated the two lane highway level of service using the existing traffic volumes
shown in our report. We calculated level of service D for both morning and afternoon
peak hours, which coincides with the referenced study's assessment. Again, as noted
above, level of service D implies average speeds of 40 to 45 miles per hour that should be
considered desirable.
Am A E C O M Comvarvr'
Memo to Sidney Fuke
March 8, 2004
Page Two
Our future analysis assumed that Queen Kaahumanu Highway would be widened to four
lanes to Keahole by the time the proposed project is half built. We would like to point
ouY that widening the highway from two to four will more than double the capacity of the
highway since percent time following does not become a factor. Even with the widened
highway, the signalized intersections would become the constraining bottlenecks and
were the reason they were analyzed.
Please feel free to contact me if there are any questions.
cc: Mr. Warren Yamamoto