HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 1018.004 2006-2008
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TESTIMONY OF JOHN HARRIS REGARDING BILL
248
Hawaii County Council-Committee on Public Works & Intergovernmental Relations
February 20, 2008
My name is John Harris. I am a resident of Hawaii County and my address is 78-6920
Alii Drive #331. I am the chair of the Traffic Committee of the Keauhou Outreach Group. My
testimony today is is addressed to Bill 248, which, if enacted, would, together with the short and
mid-term mitigation measures proposed by the Department of Public Works promote highway
safety in light of the increased traffic volumes on AM Drive in Keauhou caused by the opening
of the Mamalohoa Bypass for use by the public. In particular, my testimony is designed to
illustrate (i) the current condition of the segment of Alii Drive in Keauhou, and (ii) the reasons
why certain specific safety improvements must be made along Alii Drive in Keauhou for the
purpose of alleviating the effects of increased traffic that the opening of the Bypass will cause,
regardless of whether the Bypass is opened on a restricted or unrestricted basis.
The opening the Bypass will have serious impacts on the occupants of 1600 homes in
Keauhou as well as the Sheraton Keauhou Bay Resort and Spa and other businesses in Keauhou
Bay and the Kona County Club.
Throughout its history, Alii Drive in Keauhou has served primarily as a local road; it was
not designed to be an essential part of a major arterial roadway in West Hawaii. Interestingly,
Alii Drive in Keauhou has never been included in any impact studies prepared in connection
with either the Mamalahoa Bypass or the Alii Parkway.
For the past seven years, the Keauhou Outreach Group's Traffic Committee has been
studying issues related to traffic safety that will arise when the Bypass is opened as well as when
the first phase of the Alii Parkway is ready for use. During this time, the Keauhou community
has never opposed the Bypass, and we do not do so now. Instead, we have worked on developing
measures designed to mitigate the effects of the Bypass (and the Alii Parkway) on public safety.
The main safety issues we see are the following:
1. All of the entrances on Alii Drive have very limited sight distances in both directions
due to curves or hills or both, except the Kona County Club's main entrance, which is
pretty good looking north, but very poor when looking south. With high volumes of
traffic on AM Drive, anyone attempting to exit from one of these entrances (or from
Kaleiopapa or Kaluna Streets) will be at a significant risk for a serious accident. The
Kaleiopapa Street intersection will be particularly troublesome because it too has very
limited sight distances and often carries heavy traffic generated by events at the
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Sheraton. Also, there are a number of vehicles pulling boats on trailers turning onto
Alii Drive from Kaleiopapa Street.
2. During all hours of the day, but especially at the time of the morning rush hour, there
are many people who walk, run or bike along the shoulders of Alii Drive in Keauhou.
With high volumes of traffic, the risk that a vehicle may collide with a pedestrian or
bike will increase markedly.
3. Speeding on Alii Drive is a problem now and will increase exponentially with the
opening of the Bypass unless law enforcement efforts are stepped up greatly. We all
know that the Police Department is stretched very thin and that there is a limit to how
much of the Department's attention can be focused on one place.
4. It is inevitable that the traffic signal at the intersection of AM Drive and the
Kamehameha III Road will cause congestion. We are bound to have a "Keauhou
crawl" either in place of or in addition to the Kainaliu crawl. The Keauhou crawl will
make it very difficult to turn on to Alii Drive from Kaleiopapa Street, the Kona
Country Club or from a condominium entrance.
In 2006, the County Council recognized these issues and adopted Resolution 31106,
asking the Mayor and his administration to expedite the planning and design of the AM Drive
safety improvements that the Traffic Committee has consistently recommended for a number of
years. The Public Works Department's proposed mitigation measures largely reflect the terms of
Resolution 31106.
However, neither Bill 248 or any of the other amendments proposed by the Department
embodies all of the mitigation measures pertaining to Alii drive that are described in Resolution
311 06 and in informal communications issued by the Department to representatives of the
Keauhou community. These mitigation measures are vital safety improvements that are needed
in Keauhou. Therefore we urge that the proposed ordinance amendments allowing access to the
Bypass via Haleki'i Street either (i) require that all of the mitigation measures be completed
before the opening of the Bypass, or (ii) sunset within a reasonable period of time from
enactment if any of the mitigation measures reflected in Resolution 311 06 has not then been
completed.
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