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HomeMy WebLinkAboutREP PWC 285 10/24/1988 1984-1988 REPORT OF THE CL ,i'1ITTEE ON PUBLIC WORKS DATE: October 24 , 1988 PLACE : Councilroom TIME : 9 :00 a .m . Chairman and Members Hawaii County Council Hilo , Hawaii 96720 Your Committee on Public Works to which was referred Communication �O . 1782 and its attached Bill No . 626 , reports as follows: Bill No . 626 proposes to amend Chapter 24 , Article 10 , Division• 2 , Section 24-267 of the Hawaii County Code 1983 relating to Schedule 15 , one-way .streets , by adding an item. The purpose of the bill is to make the Liliuokalani Park Perimeter Road one way in the Hamakua direction from Keliipio Place for a distance of two tenths of a mile to the driveway of the former Isles Restaurant . Your Committee on Public Works has reviewed Communication No . 1782 from the Chief Engineer which transmits Bill No . 626 and states the following: • 1 . The Department of Public Works and the Department of Parks and Recreation are working together to improve traffic safety within the Liliuokalani Park area . 2 . The Departments concluded that a one-way traffic pattern along the Liliuokalani Park Perimeter Road will reduce . . vehicle-pedestrian conflicts , improve parking and provide smoother traffic flow. 3 . The proposed traffic pattern would not affect traffic into or out of Coconut Island, Nihon Restaurant and Cultural Center or the dock area behind the Nihon Restaurant . Your Committee has reviewed Bill No . 626. and understands that it proposes a one-way pattern on the Liliuokalani Park Perimeter Road from Keliipio Place , the road to Coconut Island , to the roadway leading to the dock and a lighthouse . The Liliuokalani Park Perimeter Road is technically a driveway within the park and is not a public right of way. It is maintained and controlled by the County . It is unlike other interior park roads in two respects: it is maintained by the Department of Public Works and it connects directly with two other public roads, namely, Banyan Drive and Lihiwai Street . The name of the road has not been adopted by resolution and is an unofficial name . Your Committee considered Bill No . 626 on September 27 , 1988 and heard the Chief Engineer testify that the bill would carry out the Council ' s policy decision for one-way traffic and implementation is scheduled for December 1988 . • PWC REPORT ;;0 , 285 NOV 2 1988 HDOPTED : PWC- 285 Page 2 October 24 , 1988 Your Committee Chairwoman stated that Bill No . 626 was part of a Council project and that $10 ,000 had been appropriated for improvements which include striping , signs , striping for parking and a pedestrian lane. Your Committee had questions on the project details and asked the Chief Engineer for a sketch or plan . Your Committee concurred with the Chairwoman 's recommendation to hear the Chief Engineer give a presentation on the project ; get public input ; and refer Bill No . 626 to Alvah Miyamoto , Department of Transportation District Engineer , for comments related to the Wailoa Bridge replacement . Your Committee deferred action on Bill No . 626 pending the public input , presentation by the Chief Engineer and comments from the District Engineer . Your Committee considered Bill No . 626 again on October 24 , 1988 . Your Committee is aware that Bill No . 626 Draft 2 , which was circulated at the meeting, contains minor technical corrections . Bill No . 626 Draft 2 describes the direction of one way traffic more accurately; specifies the distance more precisely; expresses the distance in words rather than numerals; and more accurately describes the terminus of the one way zone . Your Committee accordingly changed "Hamakua" to "westerly" ; "0 .2 miles" to "one thousand three hundred sixty feet" ; and "the driveway of the former Isles Restaurant" to "the roadway leading to the pier and lighthouse . " Draft 2 is as follows: " ( ) Liliuokalani Park Perimeter Road. All vehicular traffic shall move in the westerly direction from Keliipio Place for a distance of one thousand three hundred sixty feet to the roadway leading to the pier and lighthouse ." The Traffic Services Division Head, Richard Nishimura , showed the Committee the plan for Liliuokalani Park Perimeter Road and explained the proposed changes in the travelway, parking and pedestrian areas . He explained that the project would include road widening from Banyan Drive to the pond ( 150 feet past Keliipio Place ) and would result in a four-foot shoulder on the makai side, a 15-foot through-way, a six-foot walkway on the mauka side , and a change from 19 stalls of parallel parking to 24 stalls of diagonal parking beyond the end of the makai wall . He explained that the existing pavement is not wide enough to provide a bicycle lane but that bicyclists could use the shoulder . He reported that eight accidents occurred on Liliuokalani Park Perimeter Road since 1985 , most of them by the curve, and four accidents occurred in 1988 . The purpose of changing to one way traffic is to create a safer situation for pedestrians and the change will have no impact on business . Total cost of improvements needed for the road is $76 ,000 . PWC- 285 Page 3 October 24 , 1988 Your Committee had questions on the possibility of upgrading the $10 ,000 improvements to $76 ,000 and how the diagonal stalls will be marked. Mr . Nishimura responded that the $10 ,000 project will be permanent improvements and additional funds could be used in phases . He explained that paved areas will be striped for five feet to give initial alignment into diagonal stalls which will end on graded unpaved areas . Your Committee Chairwoman stated that one comment was received in support of putting funds into the park itself rather than the road . She asked the Director of Parks and Recreation if she had any problems with the project and the Director said no . Your Committee concurred that the proposed one-way traffic pattern should be implemented and that the bill be amended to correct minor technical deficiences . Your Committee on Public Works is in accord with the intent and purpose of Bill No . 626 Draft 2 and recom • . its passage on first reading by the County Counci . i -LE K. LAI, C IRWOMAN 0' A , 'S4. • RUSSELL S. KOKU:UN, VICE CHR. FRANK DE LUZ III , MEMBER Vir TAK+ASHI DOMIfGO, MEMB R SHERWOOD R. H. GREENWELL, MEMBER LA/TW