HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0299.001 2016-2018 Harry Kim -!*: ` ';,,��1*% Frank J.De Marco,P.E.
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Director
Mayor
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Wil Okabe ...• ,•„„ Allan G.Simeon,P.E.
Managing Director Deputy Director
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DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS
Aupuni Center
101 Pauahi Street,Suite 7•Hilo,Hawai`i 96720-4224
(808)961-8321 •Fax(808)961-8630 S
public_works@hawaiicounty.gov C3 cl
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June 1, 2016
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Council Chair Valerie Poindexter --
And members of the Hawaii County Council
25 Aupuni Center
Hilo, HI 96720
Testimony in Opposition of Bill 37 relating to Subdivision Street Design
Standards
Aloha Councilmembers,
•
In addition to the comments below, please refer to the enclosed table from 2004
Geometric Design of Highways and Streets, page 380 & 384, by the American
Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO Manual or Green
Book).
The AASHTO Manual specifies that rural roads should be designed:
• for a specific traffic volume and a specified acceptable level of service; and,
• to accommodate the highest practical criteria compatible with traffic and •
topography.
AASHTO Manual (refer to the enclosed Excel table) does provide for a rural roadway
width of 40' with 12' travel lanes and 8' shoulders, based on a daily traffic volume of
over 2,000 vehicles a day. The 40' represents the minimum level of service and not
"...the highest practical criteria compatible with traffic and topography." In addition, the
minimum 40' roadway width does not include all roadway design criteria that may
require additional width within a roadway ROW. For instance, vertical/horizontal sight-
distances and driveway/intersection sight distances, drainage swales/structures, .
roadside clear zones, and bicyclist/pedestrian facilities (Complete Streets).. Therefore a- ,
40' width ROW would not provide adequate space to accommodate all the elements of
the Rural roadway design cross section, utilities, and roadside areas. X
Additionally, any roadway that services snore than 6 lots should be designed within a Z til
minimum ROW of 50 feet to provide for proper sight distance and utility placement. c,
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County of Hawai`i is an Equal Opportunity Provider and Employer.
Based on the need to protect public health and safety, future traffic volume increases,
future widening needs that are not currently anticipated but could occur, and the lack of
consideration for future land use changes, the Department of Public Works does not
support proposed Bill 037 Draft 01 as it is currently written.
Thank you for allowing us to provide testimony on this Bill.
Sincerely
f1'1�w�CL DPAnivt /-0
Frank J. De Marco, P.E.
DIRECTOR
cc: Harry Kim, Mayor
Wil Okabe, Managing Director
Allan Simeon, DPW Deputy Director
Ben Ishii, DPW Eng. Division Chief
Michael Yee, Planning Director
Daryn Arai, Planning Deputy Director
enclosure
County of Hawai'i is an Equal Opportunity Provider and Employer.
Rural Roads-Minimum Width of Travel Way and
Shoulders(Design Speed 15 to 50 mph)
400 to 1500 to over
Veh/day Under 400 1500 2000 2000
Travel Way
width each 9 10 11 12
directions,ft.
Shoulder width
each side (all 2 5 6 8
Speeds),ft.
Roadway Width, 22 30 34 40
ft.
"A major part of the rural highway system consists of two-lane local roads. These roadways
should be designed to accommodate the highest practical criteria compatible with traffic
- and topography."
"Roads should be designed for a specific traffic volume and a specified acceptable level of
service. The average daily traffic volume, either current or projected to some future design
year, should be the basis for design. Usually,the design year is about 20 years from the date
of completion of construction."
Source: 2004 Geometric Design of Highways and Streets, page 380 &384
by the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials