HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 1021.005 2006-2008
March 11, 2008
Hazold Murata
PO Box 1752 ~' ~ ~ ' ~:
Kealakekua, HI 96750
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- ~!~ ..
Brenda Ford, Chairman ~ ... •. d
Hawaii County Council Committee on ~ ~ ~ .. . ~~~
Public Works & Intergovernmental Relations ..
Hilo, Hawaii
Honorable Council Members: ~ .. ~ ,,;,,
• ~ . .. 4.•
As a test project, I ~support'the Mamalahoa Bypass - Halekii Street extension: Mitigation'
measure improvements include traffic calming features and intersection improvements: But
more mitigation is needed to realize the test project's expectations. There are three areas that I
want to say something.
,• ,
HALEKII STREET
Left turn lane and right turn lane should begin at minimum from the 2nd•driveway on the
Kau side.
From driveways, allow right toms only entries onto Halekii Street; disallow left turns
from Halekii into driveways. , •, ;,•,;;
Install smart signals. Systemize the green light to accommodate the approaching traffic ,
volumes accordingly.
KAINALN CRAWL
Kainaliu traffic slowdown exists because of traffic volume, left turn movements, on street
pazking, and jaywalking. Commuters pass through, tourists shop, the high number of
driveway in and outs prevent smooth traffic flow. Jaywalking, another aggravation to
traffic flow, is prevalent in Kainaliu town. The Halekii project mitigates only a small
portion of the saturated traffic volume on Mamalahoa coming from Kuakini.
On street pazking is a great contributor to unregulated street cross walking.
An option to reduce to reduce the crawl is to provide parking space lots (2) on the makai
side, next to Oshima's and next to Okamura's, and one on the mauka side, what is now
the vacated Union gas station. Remove on street parking. Provide a left turn lane. The
attachment shows the lots, which could serve asoff--street pazking.
The proposed action option is a likely continuation of the crawl because the Project does
not address the other two factors in the formulation. The Halekii by pass would shift
some commuters away from Kainaliu, only to face a crawl through Kealakekua.
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Ref. Uate ~1_,y,,,,R 7,~71541R
STATUS QUO AND NEW THINKING
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The preponderance of T-intersections has made the road system asymmetrical, which
defies conventional thinking. Businesses are reluctant to give up horse hitching type of
pazking for cazs. Residents aze reluctant to give up personal convenience of access. fo
their properties. The undeniable effect is difficult access management with resultant
traffic flow reduction. ~ `
Because Kona has the distinction ofhaving anon-typical suburbia configuration, radical
thinking that challenge all stakeholders to attempt non-typical problem "solving ~', ,
approaches. Some approaches would include: Make all driveway exits right turn only.
Allow left turn entrance to driveways where left turn' lanes aze provided: Provide u-turn
lanes.or roundabouts atstrategic locations: Greater participation bystakeholders would
,, help. .. ~~ >. ,.
SUMMARY
The test plan would be successful upon great reduction of Halekii hell and Kainaliu crawl.
Sincerely, ' ~ {!'
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