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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 1064.001 2006-2008 `-w J+tY^UI N~ Harry Kim Bruce C. McClure Mayor Director rt ~'Nr i Jiro A. Sumada County of Hawaii Deputy Director DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS Aupuni Center o 101 Pauahi Street, Suite 7 - Hilo, Hawaii 967204224 cG~' (808) 961-8321 - Fax (808) 961-8630 },.t www.co.hawau.hi.us vl co, MAMALAHOA BYPASS - FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS 3 i 77' April 2008 f- w The controversy surrounding the Mamalahoa Bypass - whether just the northern section should be opened early, whether Haleki i Street should be used as a connector to Mamalahoa Hwy., and whether traffic improvements should be implemented in the event opening the by-pass is postponed until 2009- has generated a flurry of phone calls and a-mails asking a variety of questions. Below are a number of "frequently-asked" questions and their answers. Why was the Mamalahoa Bypass built? This roadway has been envisioned by the State of Hawaii since 1979 in anticipation of a growing population. Currently, a large portion of the South Kona community works in either North Kona or South Kohala and commute daily along Mamalahoa Highway. What is the northern portion of the bypass? The northern portion of the Mamalahoa Bypass starts at the end of Ali'i Drive. It runs approximately three miles to the bottom of Haleki'i Street in Kealakekua's Kona Scenic subdivision. When will the bypass open? The County administration proposes to open the extension of Haleki'i Street to the northern portion of the bypass in summer 2008 on a six-month trial basis. Traffic would be restricted to one-way travel for southbound traffic between the hours of 3:30 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. weekdays only, except holidays. At the connection between Haleki i Street and the by-pass, traffic will be monitored daily by Public Works. Other than those specific hours or during an emergency, this section by-pass will be operated by Oceanside 1250 staff, and it will be closed and gated to commuter traffic. What do we hope to accomplish? • Better distribution of traffic during peak hours, alleviation of traffic jams and smoother traffic flow between North and South Kona. • An alternate route to the Kona Community Hospital. • Quicker response time for Police and Fire personnel. During storms, the bypass becomes an alternate route. Comm. No. 1' Ref. To Ref. Date ^APRI MIL - Counly of l-I m ill 1 son I.yuul Opp,rcmnm Provider and Employer. h,~ N~e(ay~ ~Vh(4~cl~j=. n SubVV 14C4 Mamalahoa Bypass FAQs, p. 2 ~ Why is only a portion of the Mamalahoa Bypass finished and opening? • The construction of the by-pass is part of a development agreement between the County of Hawai'i and Oceanside 1250 - developers of the Hokulia resort community. Completion of construction of the northern portion of the bypass, from Ali'i Highway to Halekh Street, is scheduled for April 2008. This portion of the road and the newly constructed portion of Haleki'i Street will be dedicated to the County. It's expected the dedication process may take an additional two to three months. • The County administration believes opening the extension of Haleki'i Street to the northern portion of the Mamalahoa Bypass on weekday afternoons, will distribute the southbound traffic between the mauka (Kuakini/ Mamalahoa highways) and makai (By-pass) roads. How will traffic flow be affected by opening the northern portion of the bypass? The County administration anticipates 33 percent of the current afternoon (3:30 to 6:30 p.m.) traffic flowing through Kainaliu Town will divert to Haleki'i for the first several months. Once motorists experience the good and bad points of using Haleki'i Street as an alternate route, some will revert to their former practice of driving along Mamalahoa Highway through Kainaliu; at that point the traffic on Haleki'i Street will level off. How does the County intend to mitigate residents concerns over increased traffic on Haleki i Street? There will be daily monitoring along Haleki'i Street by the police and Public Works employees. Traffic calming devices will be installed to slow vehicles. Look at the congestion created by the stop signs at the Ali'i Drive and Hualalai Road intersection. Additional stop signs along Ali i Drive will add to traffic congestion. Stop signs allow motorists to more easily travel mauka to makai using the side streets. Currently, when a motorist approaches a stop sign on Lunapule or Royal Poinciana they experience a wait, especially if making a left turn. These stop signs would reduce the wait time and would give access to those motorists who turn left. At the intersection of Ali'i Drive and Hualalai Road, it is the pedestrian crossings that causes the additional wait. No crosswalks are currently proposed at this time at Lunapule or Royal Poinciana. Opening the northern portion of the bypass will release Oceanside from its obligation to complete the southern portion. Oceanside is obligated to complete the bypass, from the end of AIN Drive to the junction at Napo'opo'o Road. The use of Haleki'i will not jeopardize the completion of the bypass. The County administration is also addressing Oceanside's concerns in the ongoing court case over land ownership along the southern portion of the bypass. When will the northern portion of the Mamalahoa bypass open? • The County administration proposes to open the extension of Halekh Street to the northern portion of the bypass in summer 2008 on a trial basis. Traffic would be restricted to one-way travel for southbound traffic between the hours of 3:30 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. weekdays only, except holidays. • At the connection between Haleki'i Street and the by-pass, traffic will be monitored daily by Public Works. Other than those specific hours or during an emergency, this section by-pass will be operated by Oceanside 1250 staff, and it will be closed and gated to commuter traffic. County, ri In wai i i. on fzpnd Oppomtmly Provider and Employer. Mamalahoa Bypass FAQs, p. 3 • The construction of the by-pass is part of a development agreement between the County of Hawai'i and Oceanside 1250 - developers of the Hokulia resort community. Completion of construction of the northern portion of the bypass, from Ali'i Highway to Haleki'i Street, is scheduled for April 2008. This portion of the road and the newly constructed portion of Haleki'i Street will be dedicated to the County. It's expected the dedication process may take an additional two to three months. • The County administration believes opening the extension of Haleki'i Street to the northern portion of the Mamalahoa Bypass on weekday afternoons, will distribute the southbound traffic between the mauka (Kuakini/ Mamalahoa highways) and makai (By-pass) roads. County of Hawaii is an Equal Opportunity Provider and Employer.