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HomeMy WebLinkAboutRES 048 Draft 01 2012-2014 �J�`V os NQ, ',I COUNTY OF HAWAII :•� ''"='�/ • STATE OF HAWAII RESOLUTION NO. 48 13 A RESOLUTION URGING THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII TO APPROVE FUNDING FOR THE WIDENING OF THE KEA'AU-PAHOA ROAD. WHEREAS, the Kea'au-Pahoa Road, also known as State Route 130, is the only route out of Puna for residents of Hawaiian Paradise Park, Orchidland Estates, Ainaloa Estates, Pahoa, Nanawale Estates, Hawaiian Beaches, Hawaiian Shores, Kapoho, Pahoa, Leilani Estates, Black Sands Beach Estates, Kalapana Seaview Estates, and Kalapana; and WHEREAS, the Hawai`i Long-Range Land Transportation Plan (TranPlan), completed in May 1998, identified the potential for significant traffic increases due to the availability of 56,000 residential lots in the Puna region; and WHEREAS, the TranPlan recommends increasing the capacity of the Kea'au-Pahoa Road by adding two lanes between Kea'au and Pahoa; and WHEREAS, according to the 2010 Census, 28,463 people reside in the fast-growing region served by the Kea'au-Pahoa Road; and WHEREAS, the Final Environmental Assessment (FEA) for the Kea'au-Pahoa Road Improvements project that was completed in May 2011 recommends widening the Kea'au-Pahoa Road to four lanes between Kea'au Bypass and the Pahoa-Kapoho Road; and WHEREAS, the FEA states that the Kea'au-Pahoa Road has three of the most dangerous intersections in the State based on the number of serious accidents; and WHEREAS, the FEA states "The purpose of the project is to improve safety, provide mobility/relieve congestion, improve travel for alternative modes (transit, bicycles, pedestrians), address future traffic increases, support future land use objectives, and enable civil defense/emergency travel/evacuations."; and WHEREAS, the FEA estimates that without necessary improvements, the entire 9.5-mile corridor will be above capacity by 2038, resulting in a Level of Service rating of"F"; and WHEREAS, money is available to begin the design on widening the Kea'au-Pahoa Road, but a source for construction funding has not been identified; and WHEREAS, continued inaction will result in more traffic fatalities, more accidents, longer commutes, increased stress, increased costs for fuel and vehicle maintenance, increased congestion, and decreased quality of life for residents; and WHEREAS, Senate Bill No. 377 authorizes the issuance of general obligation bonds in the amount of$25,000,000 for the widening of the Kea`au-Pahoa Road and other improvements; now,therefore, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE COUNTY OF HAWAII that the Hawai`i State Legislature is urged to approve funding for the widening of the Kea`au-Pahoa Road in the amount of$25,000,000 or such amount as may be necessary for construction. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Governor is urged to make the improvement and widening of the Kea`au-Pahoa Road a high priority. BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED that the County Clerk shall transmit a copy of this resolution to the Honorable Governor Neil Abercrombie, the Honorable Senate President Donna Mercado Kim, the.Honorable Speaker of the House of Representatives Joe Souki, the Honorable Senator Gilbert Kahele,the Honorable Senator Russell Ruderman, the Honorable Senator Josh Green, the Honorable Senator Malama Solomon,the Honorable Representative Mark Nakashima, the Honorable Representative Clift Tsuji, the Honorable Representative Richard Onishi, the Honorable Representative Faye Hanohano, the Honorable Representative Denny Coffman,the Honorable Representative Nicole Lowen, the Honorable Representative Cindy Evans, and the Honorable Mayor William P. Kenoi. Dated at , Hawai`i,this day of , 2013. INTRODU D BY: I ILI COUNC1 EMBER, COUNTY OF HAWAII COUNTY COUNCIL ROLL CALL VOTE County of Hawai`i AYES NOES ABS EX Hilo, Hawai`i EOFF FORD I hereby certify that the foregoing RESOLUTION was by ILAGAN the vote indicated to the right hereof adopted by the COUNCIL of the KANUHA County of Hawai`i on KERN ONISHI ATTEST: POINDEXTER WILLE YOSHIMOTO Reference: C-111/Waived GREDC COUNTY CLERK CHAIRPERSON&PRESIDING OFFICER RESOLUTION NO. 48 13 2