HomeMy WebLinkAboutRES 596 Draft 01 2006-2008 os M~~
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COUNTY OF HAWAII STATE OF HAWAII
RESOLUTION NO. 596 O8
A RESOLUTION REQUESTING THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS TO
IMMEDIATELY BEGIN ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENTS FOR THOSE
RECOMMENDATIONS REQUIRING AN ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT AND
IMPLEMENT BEFORE SEPTEMBER 1, 2008, OTHER SHORT-TERM
RECOMMENDATIONS NOT REQUIRING AN ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT
RELATING TO INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENTS IN WAIMEA, AS PROVIDED
IN THE FINAL REPORT OF THE PARSONS-BRINCKERHOFF WAIMEA TRAFFIC
CIRCULATION STUDY.
WHEREAS, traffic congestion in Waimea has steadily increased over the past few years,
resulting in traffic travel times doubling at peak hours and substantial traffic j ams at the main
Waimea intersections; and
WHEREAS, this traffic problem adversely impacts not only residents of the Waimea
community but all drivers attempting to travel from one side of the island to the other, bottle-
necking at the Mamalahoa Highway and Lindsey Road intersection; and
WHEREAS, the Waimea Traffic Circulation Study (WTCS), conducted by consultants
Parsons-Brinckerhoff, Inc. (now PB Americas, Inc.), was initially presented to the Waimea
community in December, 2006, and then supported by the December, 2007, publication of a 94-
page final report recommending a number of improvements and short-range actions to mitigate
traffic problems in the immediate area; and
WHEREAS, not all but some of these improvements would require Environmental
Assessments, such as the selected widening of Mamalahoa Highway or the construction of either
of the connector roads; and
WHEREAS, Environmental Assessments demand considerable lead times and are
mandatory before any construction work can begin; and
WHEREAS, the County of Hawaii has yet to initiate any of these short-range actions
recommended in the WTCS, even though funds totaling more than $9 million from the 2004
County bond issue are available to pursue one or more of the actions contained in the report
(with the exception of the implementation of an infra-Waimea shuttle bus service which will not
utilize the funds above); now, therefore,
BE IT RESOLVED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE COUNTY OF HAWAII, that the
Department of Public Works implement at least two of the short-term recommendations that do
not require Environmental Assessments before September 1, 2008.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Department of Public Works immediately
begin the Environmental Assessments on at least two of the proposed improvements requiring
Environmental Assessments, as stated in the WTCS.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Department of Public Works submit within 30
days of approval of this resolution a list of the starting dates and proposed work tasks of all
construction projects, whether the project requires an Enviromnental Assessment or not.
BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED, that the County Clerk shall forward certified copies of
this resolution to the Honorable Mayor Harry Kim and to the Director of the Department of
Public Works.
Dated at ,Hawaii, this day of , 2008.
ODUCED~Y:
COUNCIL M B R, CO F H WAI`I
COUNTY COUNCIL ROLL CALL VOTE
County of Hawaii AvES NOES ABS Ex
Hilo, Hawaii FORD
HIGA
I hereby certify that the foregoing RESOLUTION was by HOFFMANN
the vote indicated to the right hereof adopted by the COUNCIL of the IKEDA
County of Hawaii on
JACOBSON
NAEOLE
ATTEST: PILAGO
YAGONG
YOSHIMOTO
Reference: C-1137/PWiRC
COUNTY CLERK CHAIRMAN & PRESIDING OFFICER RESOLUTION NO. ~ o
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