COM 0619.008 1998-2000 - Laserfiche WebLink

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To: Members of the Hawaii County Council Planning Committee From: Diane Gentry Date: 28 January 2000 Subject: Change of Zone Application (REZ 99-025) _ _ 1 _ 5 Applicant: W.H. Shipman, Ltd. Request: A-20a to MCX-20 ~ TMK: 1.6.003: Portion of 007 Re: Traffic Safety on the Volcano Hwy./Keaau-Pahoa Bypass Intersection 1~~ Thank you for the opportunity to present observations before the Planning Committee. After attending several informational sessions in Keaau, reviewing the record on file with the Planning Dept., presenting testimony hefore the Planning Commission on Dec. 17`", and reviewing the file on record in the County Council office, I'd like to offer information for this body to consider with regard to the Change of Zone Application proposed by Shipman Ltd.: • Safety is important! "With the completion of the Bypass Road, the Level-of-Service at the intersection of Mamalahoa at Bypass Road will be 'D' and 'C' during the morning and afternoon peak periods, respectively, for 2013 conditions. This assumes that no additional improvements at this intersection is implemented." See Exhibit A, item 5. According to testimony given at the Planning Commission, these levels will soon be exceeded with approx. fl9,000 vehicles passing through the area daily. • ~ The T-intersection that allows this change of zone application access Onto the Volcano highway is situated on a designated high-speed, blind, curving, downward slope past the current entrance to the Shipman Industrial Park. It is a historical agricultural point of access which once enabled sugar cane trucks to get to the mill. While permitting for highway access is a responsibility of the State Dept. of Transportation, zoning for the parcel determines the use of the access. Unfortunately, this T-intersection is located on a blind curve subject to flooding. This presents a danger to oncoming traffic travelling into Puna from Hilo. • This proposed 4-way intersection, if approved by the Dept. of Transportation, will be the largest intersection on the island. By my estimation, a pedestrian crossing the intersection will walk (at 2 ft. per second) 175' across the Volcano Highway & 225' across the bypass. When multiplied, this equates to 39,.375 sq. ft. or almost one acre to get from point A to point B. The length of time pedestrians of all ages would be required to wait in the intersection for the light to change & allow them to cross is way too long, especially for seniors and youngsters. This entire area should remain pedestrian-free! ~~.i~ , Comm. No. ' File No. Itet', I'o: tt:, i, Unta_.__ FEB 0 4 1081