HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0903.014 2008-2010Murashige, Laura C01,4114
From: shar2771 @comcast.net
Sent: Sunday, August 15, 2010 5:54 PM
To: counciltestimony @co.hawaii.hi.us
Cc: Myke Metcalf
Subject: Woodlands Shopping Center
Attachments: Woodlands Center Letter 8- 16- 10.doc
Pitt
6; FAG 16 N9 11 r°
To Whom It May Concern: 8/16/10
Hawaii County Council
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I am writing you to express my concern about the Woodlands Shopping
Center in Pahoa, Hawaii. I am a homeowner here in Pahoa and I am a Captain
in the Alameda Fire Department in California. I have a commercial Class "B"
Driver license and have driven commercial trucks. Public safety is and has
always been a very high priority for me which is why I am so concerned about
the substandard roadways around the new Woodlands Shopping Center.
Over the last few weeks it has come to my attention that the Woodlands
Center is very close to opening; unfortunately as I have watched the roadway
being repaved and striped it has become very clear that the planning for this
shopping center and the infrastructure that will support it has not been
designed with public safety in mind. I believe that the poor planning and
design of the roadway is unsafe and has the potential to cause major gridlock
and accidents in and around both the Woolands Shopping Center and the
Malama Market Shopping Center. The high density of the Woodlands
Shopping Center and the lack of adequate parking spaces will only add to the
problems with the roadway design.
The following is a list of the most problematic issue I see with the current
design of the road from highway 130 on to Pahoa Village Road and making
the left onto Kahakai Blvd.
<! - -[if !supportLists] - - >> <!-- [endif]-- >Pahoa Village Road is too narrow for Class
"A" type delivery trucks to stay in the left hand turn lane when making
the turn on to Kahakai Blvd. Per the plan trucks must cross the right
8/16/2010
Con . Na. 0 3 • I
Ref. To
REA Date A G 17 2010
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lane right side limit line on Pahoa Village Road and then cross the right
hand limit line on Kahakai Blvd; the rear duel tires will encroach into
the oncoming traffic lane on Kahakai Blvd while completing the turn.
Undoubtedly other drivers will attempt to drive into the left hand turn
lane as the truck driver leave the turn lane to set up for the left hand
turn. A properly design turn lane allows a large enough radius for the
driver to stay completely in their lane throughout the turn. Currently
lanes are barely 10 feet wide.
<! - -[if !supportLists] - - >> <!-- [endif]-- >Delivery trucks exiting from Kahakai Blvd
to Pahoa Village Road must encroach into oncoming traffic to complete
their right hand turn. Once again this is a substandard design.
<! - -[if !supportLists] - - >> <!-- [endif]-- >There is a very steep drop off at the corner
of Kahakai Blvd and Pahoa Village Road which has no safety guardrail.
<! - -[if !supportLists] - - >>' <!-- [endif]-- >There is only one way in and out of the
Woodlands Center. I would consider this to be a substandard design.
Why hasn't the other end of Kahakai Blvd been opened to Highway
130? Possibly adding a light for safety and traffic control. This would
also be a better place for delivery trucks to enter and exit.
<! - -[if !supportLists] - - >> <!-- [endif] - - >The intersection at Highway 130 turning
into and out of Pahoa Village is very dangerous. More shoppers coming
in will only make this intersection worse.
<! - -[if !supportLists] - - >> <!-- [endif] -- >The Malama Market Shopping Center has
only one way in and out as well. Both shopping centers feed into a very
short stretch of roadway with traffic exiting the highway in the same
area.
<! - -[if !supportLists] - - >> <!-- [endif] - - >If there is an accident at the intersection of
Highway 130 and Pahoa Village Road the customers of both the
shopping areas could be trapped with no alternate exit.
<! - -[if !supportLists] - - >> <!-- [endif]- - >With the current roadway configuration,
any emergency incidents occurring in the area will probably have a
delayed response time due to traffic congestion. Once again the public's
safety has been put a risk.
I am happy that more business is coming into the Pahoa area, but the
infrastructure needs to be in place to support it before such a dense shopping
center opens. I believe that the county has a very big liability issue on their
hands that could cost us the tax payers millions of dollars in law suits if
anyone gets hurt or killed because of this poor planning. I find it surprising
8/16/2010
and disappointing that the county plan check failed to catch the many
problems with the design of the parking area and the traffic patterns associated
with this complex.
Please don't be so greedy for tax revenues that you put the public's safety at
risk. I'm asking you to do the right thing and correct the road infrastructure
problems before allowing the Woodlands Shopping Center to open.
Attached is the "word" version of the e -mail
Sharon Oliver
Shar2771@comcast.net
510- 693 -7666 Cell Phone
14 -523 Hapuu Road (Nanawale Estates)
Pahoa, Hawaii
823 Gailen Ave
Palo Alto, CA
94303
Sharon Oliver
Cell- 510 - 693 -7666
Home- 650 - 494 -3391
Shar2771@comcast.net
www.givingtree.hubhub.org
8/16/2010
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