HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 1144.000 2004-2006
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QTY OF
FRED C. HOLSCHUH, M.D. Phone No.: (808) 961-8264
Council Member Fax No.: (808) 961-8912
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HAWAII COUNTY COUNCIL
County of Hawai `i
Hawaii County Building
25 Aupuni Street '
Hit(,, Hawaii 96720 '
October 17, 2006
J
Stacy K. Higa, Chair
Hawaii County Council
25 Aupuni Street
Hilo, Hawaii 96720
RE: A Bill for an Ordinance Amending Chapter 24, Article 10, Division 8, Section 24-293, Schedule 41,
Hawaii County Code 1983 (2005 Edition, As Amended), Regarding Vehicles and Traffic, to
Restrict the Use of the Waipi`o Valley Access Road to Four-Wheel Drive Vehicles.
Enclosed is a Bill seeking to amend the Hawaii County Code 1983 (2005 Edition, as amended),
Chapter 24, Vehicles and Traffic, Traffic Schedules, Article 10, Schedules, Division 8, Restrictions on
Certain Vehicles, Section 24-293, Schedule 41, Use of certain streets by certain vehicles restricted.
I have received several concerns and complaints from residents of the Waipi`o Valley area
regarding All-Wheel Drive (AWD) vehicles entering the valley but unable to exit the valley's extremely
steep slope or being incapacitated in the lower portion of the valley. It has been brought to my attention
that on several occasions AWD vehicles have required towing from the valley at different points along
the access road and within the valley. According to a resident of the area, on one occasion, a rented
AWD vehicle was left in the middle of the roadway for a significant period of time after the driver was
unable to extricate it from the valley.
According to research conducted by my office, the "all" part of all-wheel drive is a bit
misleading since the majority of AWD vehicles use the front wheels primarily, and only direct power to
the rear wheels when a sensor detects front-wheel slip. There are also many derivations of AWD
vehicles currently on the market. Some may be better equipped to deal with the harsh steepness of the
valley, but I do not believe that any of these vehicles have the full capacity to deal with the many
adversities encountered when traversing the road down into, and perhaps more importantly, up and out
of Waipi`o Valley. Furthermore, there are other severe conditions within the valley itself, such as high
water areas, muddy and rocky roadways, fallen trees, etc., that require true Four-Wheel Drive to be
successfully navigated. 3._Q-~\ Comm. No. 11444
Ref. To: 7wi
Ref. Late OCT 17 2006
Hawai `i County Is An Equal Opportunity Provider And Employer
Stacy K. Higa, Chair
Hawaii County Council
October 17, 2006
Page 2
Consumer.org provides the following definition, delineating the difference between AWD
vehicles and Four-Wheel Drive (4WD) vehicles:
"The key difference between 4WD and AWD is that 4WD incorporates low-range
gearing, which helps in more challenging off-road conditions such as traversing rocks or
deeper water, or tackling steep off-pavement hills."
Since multiple signs posted at the entrance to the valley indicate that one must have a 4WD
vehicle to traverse the road into the valley, I am recommending that we amend section 24-293, schedule
41, to reflect that only vehicles equipped with Four-Wheel Drive be allowed into the valley. It must also
be noted that our Code, as it is currently written, restricts vehicles to all wheel drive vehicles only and
does not allow for four-wheel drive vehicles to traverse the Waipi`o Valley Access Road. All-wheel
drive does not encompass and include four-wheel drive vehicles, and as noted earlier, they are different
in concept, capacity and definition.
Therefore, when amended, chapter 24, article 10, division 8, section 24-293, schedule 41,
Hawaii County Code 1983 (2005 Edition, as amended), will read as follows:
"Section 24-293. Schedule 41. Use of certain streets by certain vehicles restricted.
The following classes of vehicles are precluded from the use of the designated streets
when appropriate signs giving notice thereof are erected:
(a) Hamakua
(1) Pakalana Street, from Lehua Street to Mamane Street, makai bound only:
(A) Any vehicle with a gross vehicle weight rating (GV WR) of more than ten thousand
pounds shall not travel in the makai-bound direction.
(B) This restriction shall be lifted during emergencies as may be declared by the office of
civil defense.
(2) Waipi`o Valley Access Road.
(A) Restricted to [all-wheel] four-wheel drive vehicles only.
(B) Any vehicle with a gross vehicle weight rating (GV WR) of more than ten thousand
pounds shall not travel on this road. This restriction shall not be applicable to utility,
emergency or delivery vehicles providing services to business establishments and
residents [ee] in Waipi`o Valley.
(C) Vehicle shall be engaged in m] four-wheel drive mode.
(D) Makai-bound vehicle shall yield to mauka-bound vehicle.
(E) These restrictions may be lifted during emergency situations as deemed necessary by
the Civil Defense Agency.
(b) North Hilo
(c) South Hilo
(d) Ka`u
(e) Kohala
(f) Kona
(1) Vehicles with three or more tons gross vehicle weight. The provisions hereof shall not be
applicable to utility, emergency, or delivery vehicles and school buses providing services
Stacy K. Higa, Chair
Hawaii County Council
October 17, 2006
Page 3
to residents of the hereinafter designated streets. Further, these restrictions shall be lifted
during the period of any emergency declared by the office of civil defense.
(A) Kupuna Street in the North Kona District.
(B) Lako Street in the North Kona District.
(2) Any vehicle with five or more tons of gross vehicle weight shall not be permitted to use
Kaiminani Street in the Kona Palisades Subdivision as a through street between the
Hawaii Belt Highway and the Queen Ka`ahumanu Highway. This restriction shall
become effective as soon as appropriate signs giving notice thereof are erected. This
restriction shall not be applicable to utility, emergency or delivery vehicles and school
buses providing services to residents of the Kona Palisades and adjoining subdivisions.
Further, these restrictions shall be lifted during periods of emergency as may be declared
by the office of civil defense.
(g) Puna"
Thank you for the opportunity to propose this important change to our County Code. In an effort
to promote safer conditions and alleviate any unnecessary burden to the already relatively heavy traffic
this road endures, I encourage your strong consideration of this amendment.
Aloha,
Fred C. Holschuh, M.D.
Encl.
FCWjdh