HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0701.022 2018-2020 P I ou mcg.
aru. 131 /comm .
701 r ,
Good morning, Council Chair Chung and members of the Hawaii
My name is Frances Stapleton, also known as Frankie Stapleton, a resident of Hawaii
for the past 50 years. I am retired from 20 years as a journalist with the Hawaii Tribune-
Herald and nearly a decade as a public school teacher with the Hawaii State Dept. of
Education. I am here to testify in regard to Bill 131 and the placement of a Mass
Transit Terminal for Pahoa.
Pahoa Regional Park is the best location to create a Hele-On Terminal for Pahoa. It is
central to the town and businesses of Pahoa, has freshly paved roads into, around and
out of the Regional Park and with ample space to create a bus shelter. It is all Hawaii
County property.And the Hele-On buses have been serving Pahoa town for decades,
providing a vital lifeline for Puna residents through all manner of disasters.
The Aguinaldo property, commonly known as The Hub, is located on the eastern
edge of Pahoa town at the intersection of State Hwys. 130 and 132. Despite its
seemingly clear views, the new highway to Kalapana was barely open when a double
fatality occurred there involving a large tour bus. It is a dangerous intersection due to
Hwy 132 being the only outlet for numerous substandard subdivisions in lower Puna.
The only state figures regarding the numbers of vehicles traveling that intersection
from 2012 to 2018 was 7,400. Well, they must have only conducted a traffic count
once because that is the only figure I could find in those entire 6 years.You and I both
know the influx in population to lower Puna would significantly change that figure.
The Aguinaldo property, which the TMK map shows is just 1 .5 acres, is too small for a
busy purpose involving large vehicles and pedestrians. Former Hele-On director Tom
Brown -who served under 6 different mayors - refused the community's offers over
the years to build a covered bus stop fronting Pahoa High and Intermediate, citing
safety concerns. Pahoa school students would have to cross the bigger 5-lane
intersection of Hwys 130 and 132 to go to and from school if the mass transit station
is built on the Aguinaldo property. I dread to think of the consequences of such an
action!
I've lived on Nanawale Blvd. since 1979 and one of the reasons I bought that property
was because it is right on the bus line.The largest buses driven on the Big Island
routinely turn the corner from Nanawale Blvd. on to Forest Road just around the
corner from me. It truly amazes me how all those bus drivers make that tiny turn so
safely onto that substandard road all these 40 years that I've been here! I do not
question the abilities of the Help-On bus drivers to safely navigate the diverse driving
Comm. No. 10 1.22
Ref.To: P Unu
ili
Ref. Date .FEB - 5 2020
condlons of lower Puna It 1 the publicl safety—childreri, tl-ie aalderly, the disabled,
the irresioonsi b I e drive rs-Abiatwou I d not do we I I if the IM ass Tran sit Tearr-nin a I for Pa I-)o a
was located an the Aguinaldo, property.
Tbank you for listening to my concerns. Please vote to bUild a bus terminal at-the
Pahoa Regional Park camplex,
Respectfully submittc-',,d,
Frances K. (Frankie) Stapleton
14-803 Crystal Circle,
Pahoa Ph 96778
Y J4
D,.�N_ 1165 r _ � � ti �. .�,r •� _ QCT
m
� — 'fig ���,. � ,� m .�''� •;�c may" e� t � __-__-
a• ',a c� i� Y H� - I
N
� tg N 1a uV
Its
IZ
I ilk
n
a z
3 IPA
:'o C
� x
��- w_ o
W
m
D
a O
O
� o
-P
� m �
a
a
- o �
u x
b b
a C
w 7W $
r
w R
_ ci
4 /\
a ® G
Li
:r
OFT
O N
I
_ Z _
ZEA
�o I