HomeMy WebLinkAboutCommunication Number 2019-14 Waikoloa 2nd Access Rd ReportCommunication 2019-14
Waikoloa Subcommittee Report
to the
South Kohala Community Development Plan Action Committee
June 18, 2019
REPORT OVERVIEW
At the April 2018 meeting of the South Kohala Community Development Action Committee
(SCKCP-AC), issues with traffic at the Waikoloa Road/Paniolo Avenue Intersection were raised
both in public testimony and as an AC agenda item.
In the public testimony, David Tarnas updated the Action Committee with information from the
March 13, 2018 South Kohala Traffic Safety Committee meeting. Hawaii State DOT officials
had announced that new weight limits were pending on the Waiaka Bridge. In response to the
restriction, the Kawaihae trucking community reported they would have to drive through
Waikoloa as a bypass route to and from the Harbor, significantly increasing traffic congestion in
Waikoloa and slowing down traffic flow. Councilman Richards was present and had a new
update that DOT would be modifying those limits, avoid immediate increases in truck traffic
through Waikoloa.
Although the imminent problem was averted, the AC's further discussion made it clear that the
traffic flow in Waikoloa remained an issue that needed further investigation.
AC members agreed to establish a Waikoloa Subcommittee. The Subcommittee was tasked to
investigate and report back to the Action Committee on the reported issues with the intersection
at Waikoloa Road and Paniolo Drive as well as the on-going concern with a single access road
into and out of Waikoloa Village with ever-increasing traffic and especially in emergency
situations. AC members Kevin McLaughlin, Julia Alos, and Ruth Smith volunteered to serve on
the Waikoloa Subcommittee. These volunteers have been working regularly on this issue for
over a year.
The report is structured so that information on either issue is a free-standing document. Thus,
information on population, growth, housing, and developments is found in both subsections so
each document is comprehensive and can be read independently.
Thank you for your interest in these issues and for your willingness to become informed. We
welcome your help for the benefit of residents, visitors, and local commerce to remedy the
infrastructure deficits affecting Waikoloa Village and South Kohala.
Waikoloa Subcommittee's Second Access Road Report
SKCDP-AC
Waikoloa Subcommittee Report:
Waikoloa's Second Access Road
1. Executive Summary
Waikoloa Village is a rapidly growing community. The population increases, numerous housing
developments (current and potential), substantial commercial developments, and construction of
two State buildings in the Village are well-documented in this report. This growth cycle has and
will continue to strain the current infrastructure limitations into and out of Waikoloa Village.
Waikoloa Village is connected to the rest of Hawaii island by a single east -west road from the
Queen Ka'ahumanu Highway to the Mamalahoa Highway known as Waikoloa Road. Most of the
Village is further only accessible via Paniolo Avenue, through the Waikoloa Road - Paniolo
Avenuenue - Pua Melia Road intersection, the subject of the Subcommittee's other report.
A Second Access Road for Waikoloa Village has been clearly identified as the top priority for
the community since information was first gathered, compiled, and included in the final SKCDP
document submitted. The current problems at the Waikoloa Intersection in part stem from
inaction on a Second Access Road. Reasons for inaction on a Second Access Road base
primarily in the County's reliance on a developer taking the lead on construction, with the
County's support, specifically with Aina Lea or Puako 1010. Aina Lea has not moved forward
substantially in any area of development for a variety of reasons. And Puako 1010 was sold to
another developer, with no action either.
This single -road access becomes a serious safety concern when considering emergencies, such as
wildfires or tsunamis, that would require evacuation from Waikoloa Village, or to Waikoloa
Village from the nearby coast. Special planning to evacuate our children from Waikoloa School
needs to be addressed: Logistically, how would we safely evacuate Waikoloa School's 825
students (Pre -School — 81h grade) and 130 staff members in an emergency? Vehicles to transport
and personnel to supervised the student population out of the Village are the major issues.
There been multiple instances of evacuations from Waikoloa Village due to wildfires, which
resulted in the creation of an emergency evacuation road. This road appears to be adequate for a
partial evacuation, but does not appear to have the capacity for a large-scale evacuation in a short
time such as could be required for a wildfire in strong winds.
There have also been evacuations from coastal resorts to shelters in Waikoloa Village due to
tsunamis. The emergency evacuation road is currently designed only for a makai evacuation of
personal vehicles out of Waikoloa Village and appears that it would not be suited for a mauka
evacuation from the coast, especially if the hotels used buses to transport visitors.
In the Subcommittee's view, there is clearly a need for additional road access into and out of
Waikoloa Village, with emergency evacuations being just one of many factors. As Waikoloa
Village grows in population, including affordable housing, traffic will increase and quality of life
will be impacted. Planning for Waikoloa Village's future should therefore include concrete plans
for a second access road in the next 10 years.
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Waikoloa Subcommittee's Second Access Road Report
2. Introduction
The large majority of Waikoloa Village is connected to the rest of Hawaii island by a single road
(except for Paniolo Greens, Weilani, and Jack Hall housing.) Paniolo Avenuenue intersects with
Waikoloa Road, about 6 miles mauka of the Queen Ka'ahumanu Highway intersection and about
7 miles makai of the Mamalahoa Highway. Commuters and students from Waikoloa Village
travel in and out of the Village on Paniolo Avenue every day, joining with tourists, trucks,
military convoys, and other traffic traveling up and down Waikoloa Road.
The single -channel access to Waikoloa Village has long been identified as an issue that needs to
be addressed sooner or later. A Second Access Road was the Number 1 priority in the SKCDP
for Waikoloa Village in 2008. This was reiterated at the Waikoloa Community meeting in May,
2015 when asked by the County to give feedback on the General Plan revisions. (See Appendix
A on May, 2015 Community Meeting.) The process used at this meeting replicated the strategy
used to gather community input for the original SKCDP. Data on the the community's feedback
was consolidated and submitted to the County Planning Department by resident John Mueller,
then Chairman of the South Kohala Community Development Plan's Action Committee.
A 2005 study by consultant Sam O. Hirota, Inc. investigated possible routes for additional roads
into and out of Waikoloa Village, which was submitted to the County in 2006. (See Appendix B
for map.) This was not definitive, merely a starting point; however, land owners, developers'
commitments, and stakeholders have changed considerably over the past dozen years. As of
2019, no real progress has been made.
An understanding of community concerns about adequate infrastructure now and in the future
must start with data identified by state demographers that West Hawaii, South Kohala, and
Waikoloa are as most like to experience consistent, substantial growth for the foreseeable future.
In late 2008, the State planned to pilot an impact fee to address the problem of development
properties being built without concurrency, specifically for public school capacity. (See
Appendix E for a DOE explanation of the proposed pilot, their rationale, and map ofpilot area.)
Such impact fees are standard in many areas of the United States. As West Hawaii was identified
as the highest potential growth area in the state, a proposal was made to have a pilot project in
North Kona and South Kohala. Public hearings were held, and many developers attended,
speaking out in opposition, with one testimony given in favor of the fee from a public -school
administrator. Mayor Kenoi agreed with the developers, stating that Hawaii Island would be
"unfairly penalized" is such a fee were imposed, and the pilot project was tabled. None -the -less,
the analysis by the state demographers remains valid about the probability of significant growth
in West Hawaii.
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Waikoloa Subcommittee's Second Access Road Report
3. Growth in Waikoloa Village (Population, Housing, Commercial)
There has been steady growth in population, housing, and commerce in Waikoloa, as anticipated
in the SKCDP Pages 89. [Appendix CDP 2.]
Population Growth in Waikoloa & South Kohala
The 2020 US Census is less than one year away, so accurate data on Waikoloa Village's
population is not available; however, prior Census data shows that the Village's population grew
substantially over the past twenty years, and that the trend continues. July 2017 US Census
estimates indicate an 8% increase in Hawaii County's population to 200,381, up from 185,079 in
the official 2010 Census. Conservative estimates are that the Village has grown into a town of
over 7,000 people.
Year
Big Island
Population
Waikoloa
Population
% of
Waikoloa Growth
actual or estimated
1990
Maui Co.
2,248
N/A
2000
148,677
4,806
113%
2010
185,079
6,362
32%
2020 estimated
1 200,381
7,000+
8%-10% or more
Source: July 2017 US Census estimates
Information from the State Data Book (updated November 2018, Appendix D-1) provides data
on the Resident Population growth by State and Counties (Appendix D-2, Populations by State
& Counties, raw numbers) shows that the Big Island's increases are consistently higher vs. the
State as a whole and any other county.
ANNUAL GROWTH RATE by STATE & COUNTIES
Date
STATE total
City/Co. Oahu
Hawaii Co.
Kauai Co.
Maui Co.
2005-2010
1.1
0.8
2.0
1.3
1.6
2010-2017
0.7
0.5
1.1
1.0
1.0
Source: State Data Book 2018. Resident Population growth by State and Counties, Table]. 07.
[Appendix D-31
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Waikoloa Subcommittee's Second Access Road Report
Additional information from the State Data Book (2018) data breaks down the Resident
Population of Hawaii County by District by decades from 1990-2010 and from to 2012-
2016. (See modified table below.)
CHANGE RATE BY Hawaii County DISTRICTS
Source of information in WHITE columns: State Data Book 2018. on Percentage Change of
Resident Populations by County: 2000-2017 (Table 1.12)*Columns in YELLOW were added for
this analysis. [Appendix D-41
Between 1990-2016, every Hawaii County District grew, especially Puna and South Kohala;
however, between 2010-2016, some Districts leveled off (i.e, Puna), others Districts declined (N.
Hilo, Kau), and the remaining Districts continued to grow, especially in Kona and Hamakua.
South Kohala also grew by 6% during that period.
"Population" in a locale that is popular world-wide with tourists must include the impact of those
visitors on matters related to infrastructure. Valuable data on de facto population comes from
The 2017 State of Hawaii DATA BOOK, A Statistical Abstract, updated in November 2018. De
facto population is defined as the number of persons physically present in an area, of military
status or usual place of residence. It includes visitor present but excludes residents temporarily
absent, both calculated on an Avenuedaily census. Table 1.04 Resident and De Facto
Population, by Residence Status: 2000 to 2017 [Appendix D-5].
The significant take -away from this data is that in every year, the de facto population exceeds the
resident population.
The Waikoloa Plaza developer Meridian Pacific presents related data in their prospectus
regarding visitors/tourists, as follows:
June 18, 2019 Page 4 o17
1990
2000
2010
2012-16
Increase
1990-
2016
Change
2010-
2016
Hawaii County
120,317
148,677
185,079
193,680
61%
5%
Puna
20,781
31,335
45,326
45,517
119%
0%
South Hilo
44,639
47,386
50,927
52,487
18%
3%
North Hilo
1,541
1,720
2,041
1,676
9%
-18%
Hamakua
5,545
6,108
6,513
7,463
35%
15%
North Kohala
4,291
6,038
6,322
6,441
50%
2%
South Kohala
9,140
13,131
17,627
18,751
105%
6%
North Kona
22,284
28,543
37,875
41,662
87%
10%
South Kona
7,658
8,589
9,997
11,277
47%
13%
Kau
4,438
5,827
8,451
8,406
89%
-1%
Source of information in WHITE columns: State Data Book 2018. on Percentage Change of
Resident Populations by County: 2000-2017 (Table 1.12)*Columns in YELLOW were added for
this analysis. [Appendix D-41
Between 1990-2016, every Hawaii County District grew, especially Puna and South Kohala;
however, between 2010-2016, some Districts leveled off (i.e, Puna), others Districts declined (N.
Hilo, Kau), and the remaining Districts continued to grow, especially in Kona and Hamakua.
South Kohala also grew by 6% during that period.
"Population" in a locale that is popular world-wide with tourists must include the impact of those
visitors on matters related to infrastructure. Valuable data on de facto population comes from
The 2017 State of Hawaii DATA BOOK, A Statistical Abstract, updated in November 2018. De
facto population is defined as the number of persons physically present in an area, of military
status or usual place of residence. It includes visitor present but excludes residents temporarily
absent, both calculated on an Avenuedaily census. Table 1.04 Resident and De Facto
Population, by Residence Status: 2000 to 2017 [Appendix D-5].
The significant take -away from this data is that in every year, the de facto population exceeds the
resident population.
The Waikoloa Plaza developer Meridian Pacific presents related data in their prospectus
regarding visitors/tourists, as follows:
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Waikoloa Subcommittee's Second Access Road Report
• There are 1,191,470 tourists that visit the west side of Hawaii (Kohala Coast) each year.
• Average stay in Kohala/Kona resorts is 7 days.
• By dividing the number of tourists by the Average stay, the outcome should be the
number of static tourists that are in the Kona/Kohala Coast per week on Avenuerage:
22,912 people/week.
• Number of tourists on an Average/week at 100% occupancy:
o Mauna Lani or North: 7,102
o Waikoloa Village or South: 8,248
Conclusion: Population growth has occurred as predicted and continues in Waikoloa. All
indications are that growth will continue and exceed that of other parts of the State and Hawaii
Island.
Housing growth and developments in Waikoloa
The number of Waikoloa housing units also increased, as did population density per square mile.
Year
Density/Sq. Mile
Density/House
Housing Units
2000
251
107
2057
2010
356
170
3042
Source, U.S. Census
A list of housing developments includes:
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Waikoloa Subcommittee's Second Access Road Report
SUBDIVISION NAME
UNITS
Kaiaulu `O Waikoloa (affordable)
63
Kamakoa Nui (HI Co. Workforce Housing)
1,200
Kilohana Kei Phase I
127
Kilohana Kei Phase II
50
Pua Malia (affordable, formerly Waikoloa Highlands land)
C0
Sunset Ridge (Makai)
120
Sunset Ridge (Makai Vistas)
31
Waikoloa Mauka (Waikoloa Road/Mamalahoa Hwy.)
96
Wehilani (Castle & Cooke)
756
Subtotal of Active Housing Projects
21503
Aina Lea See notes *A & *B
2,406
Waikoloa Heights See note *A
2,400
Waikoloa Mauka (RA -1) See note *A
398
Subtotal of Planned Build -out (from CDP)
5,204
TOTAL of Planned Build -out See note *1
71707
Note*] This correlates with but is LARGER than SKCDP projections of- -_4 [7160]
*Note A. These TMK parcels have received the necessary entitlements to develop, but have not
progressed.
*Note B. These TMK parcels are designated by the County LUPAG for Urban Expansion, but have not
progressed.
Commercial developments in Waikoloa
BioEnergy Hawaii LLC, a Kailua-Kona-based developer of waste -treatment and
alternative -energy systems, plans to start construction on its $50 million resource -recovery and
energy -conversion facility on the Big Island. BioEnergy Hawaii plans to lease about 15 acres of
land on a portion of the property now known as the Waikoloa West Hawaii Concrete Quarry and
operate an integrated resource -recovery facility to divert municipal solid waste from the West
Hawaii Sanitary Landfill and elsewhere.
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Waikoloa Subcommittee's Second Access Road Report
It will be processing about 200 tons of incoming municipal solid waste per day, which is
collected by local waste haulers, along with a variety of other waste materials. The facility could
expand to allow for a capacity of 400 tons per day of waste. Of this volume, about 70 percent
would be suitable for energy -conversion operations and the remaining 30 percent would consist
of waste material that would be disposed at West Hawaii Sanitary Landfill, which registers at
more than 500 tons per day. In March, 2017, Hawaii County Planning Department gAvenue its
stamp of approval to the developer.
Conclusion: This project is likely to increase the amount of traffic on Waikoloa Road, and it will
likely decrease the speed of traffic flowing through Waikoloa from the Mamalahoa Highway to
near the Queen Ka' ahumana Highway.
KAIKOLOA PLAZA is being developed by Meridian Pacific, Ltd. in Waikoloa located in
the southwest corner of the main Village intersection. Its promotional materials state that
"Waikoloa Plaza will have a distinctive blend of tenants to provide [residents and] visitors
needed daily services, speciality shopping, entertainment and eateries in the continuously
growing Waikoloa Village community."
Access by motor vehicles to the Plaza will include two major entrances, one on Waikoloa Road
and another on Pua Melia, about 1,000 feet makai of the post office. A thiRoad entrance would
be across from the lower entrance to Waikoloa Highlands Shopping Center on Waikoloa Road.
June 18, 2019 Page 7o]7
Waikoloa Subcommittee's Second Access Road Report
The 130,000 -square -foot $40 million shopping center will encompass 19 square acres, with 35
retail stores filling spaces ranging from 800 to 35,000 square feet.
Eighty-five percent of Waikoloa Plaza has been leased with tenants including Aloha Petroleum,
Ace Hardware, Foodland, Fitness Forever, Family Health and Wellness, CrossFit AllStar, and
dining outlets such as Balimo's Pizza, Chef TK, L&L Hawaiian BBQ, Strato's New York
Pizzeria, SushHi and Bodhi Tree Juicery. The developer is also in talks with Nail Salon, Island
Holistic Healing, Verizon, Longs Drugs, Maui Taco's, Dunkin' Donuts, Denny's, The UPS Store
and McDonald's, among others.
The RED circle on the map above is at the intersection of Waikoloa Road and Paniolo
Avenuenue. The VPO (Vehicle Per Day) is16,600, accoRoading to the Plaza's Prospectus.
A proposed 150 -room hotel is another unique aspect that Meridian Pacific Owner Gary Pinkston
hopes to add to the shopping center. The decision for a hotel was also based on the seat count
into the Big Island being up from 600,000 five years ago to 1.3 million in 2018. At the same
time, the Hilton and others have taken 700 guestrooms out of service for condos.
April 30, 2019, Meridian Pacific broke ground at the site. This site, zoned for commercial
development has been a long-awaited improvement to the area, and is welcomed by most. This
heightens the infrastructure needs in Waikoloa. Community members express concerns that the
shopping center will exacerbate traffic issues on the only road and at the major intersection.
June 18, 2019 Page 8 017
Waikoloa Subcommittee's Second Access Road Report
"This shopping center is what we were looking for in our county, and with economic
development will come prosperity for the community," District 9 Councilman Tim RichaRoads
said. RichaRoads is working to address the congestion at the intersection with a traffic signal or a
round -about, depending on the findings of experts in the field.
Conclusion: This project will certainly increase the amount of traffic on Waikoloa Road and
congestion at the intersection at Paniolo Drive. It heightens the urgency to address safety issues
at the intersection via a traffic light or a round -about, and provide another access road to the
Village.
State development in Waikoloa: PUBLIC LIBRARY for WAIKOLOA REGION.
The 2018 legislature authorized the purchase of land in Waikoloa to build a public library. On
April 25, 2019 Governor David Ige released $1.9 million in Capital Improvement Project funds
to buy a 1.750 -acre parcel for the new Waikoloa Public Library. The library is to be located on
one of the parcels in the future Waikoloa Plaza shopping center, near the intersection of
Waikoloa Road and Paniolo Avenuenue. (See above.) The library site would be just past the
existing Post Office building on Pua Melia Street.
Once the parcel is purchased by the state, the Department of Land and Natural Resources is
required to prepare an Environmental Assessment for the project and the public will have the
opportunity to submit comments. After that, the project will start its design phase during which
the community can provide their advice about what should be included in the facility.
Friends of the Library of Waikoloa Region (FLWR) has worked diligently for over a decade to
procure a Public Library for the Waikoloa Region residents and visitors. They are hopeful that
the library will be completed and accessible in 2022.
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June 18, 2019 Page 9 o17
Waikoloa Subcommittee's Second Access Road Report
State development in Waikoloa: Waikoloa School (K-8), Building J
Waikoloa Elementary School opened in September of 1994 with 325 students (K-5). The
Elementary school's population grew to @560. In 2007, the BoaRoad of Education authorized
the expansion of the school to incorporate Middle School students. With that, Waikoloa
School's student population has grown to @825 students and @130 staff members. Building J is
a two-story 10 classroom building and is the final phase of the original school plan's build -out. It
is currently under construction in 2019.
4. Emergency Evacuation out of Waikoloa Village
In emergencies prior to 2005, all traffic passed through the Paniolo Avenue-Waikoloa Road
intersection. During the August 2005 wildfire in South Kohala that threatened the eastern and
southern areas of the Village, this intersection was significantly impacted and at times was
completely impassable due to lack of visibility from the smoke. Waikoloa Road was closed and
Waikoloa School was not evacuated; rather, it was designated as the evacuation center for the
community and students. No decision makers were on location in Waikoloa Village.
Communications were poor and it was a frightening experience. The debrief on that fire with the
community and County officials afterwards was contentious with the community demanding
action.
The County responded in 2006 by designating an extension of Hulu Street to the Queen
Ka'ahumanu Highway as an emergency evacuation road. This one-way, single -lane emergency
road is for west -bound traffic only by those exiting the Village. It could fulfill its role as an
alternate evacuation route out of the Village, albeit slowly, if the Paniolo Avenue/Waikoloa
Road intersection is closed due to an emergency. (Hawaii County Police estimated evacuation
time: 5 hours.) The distance from Hulu to the Queen Kaahumanu is 2.5 miles. Bumper to
bumper, that distance would accommodate @880 vehicles. In case of fire, that timeframe could
be too long for a safe evacuation, given the speed with which fires spread in the strong winds.
One critical issue about the evacuation of children needs to be addressed: Logistically, how
would we safely evacuate Waikoloa School's 825 students (Pre -School — 8th grade) and 130 staff
members in an emergency? This is a special population and has unique evacuation challenges.
Special consideration should be given to Waikoloa School should a fire occur again during the
school day, as it did on August 5, 2005. Evacuation for this largest employer and most dense
population in Waikoloa should be carefully planned.
From numbers mentioned earlier, the combined number of students and staff needing to be
evacuated from Waikoloa School is @955, 85% of those being students from ages 3-14.
Vehicles to transport and personnel to supervise the student population out of the Village are the
major issues. Only one bus (with a capacity of @60) services Waikoloa School on a daily basis
in the morning and afternoon, and it does not park on the campus during the day. That bus drops
students off who do not live in Waikoloa Village (coming from Anaehumalu Bay to Puako.)
Village students either walk, bike, or are dropped off and picked up by car. Significantly, the
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Waikoloa Subcommittee's Second Access Road Report
Emergency Exit Route off Hulu cannot accommodate a bus as the road is not wide enough or
suited for bus travel.
While employees usually park their vehicles on campus and theoretically could leave campus
during an evacuation, the 825 students need supervision and assistance. Staff would be relied on
to assure student safety. Also, even if staff's vehicles were used for an evacuation, it would be
insufficient to accommodate the student body. If buses were used to evacuate the school on the
Waikoloa Road, as many as 11-14 buses would be needed to accommodate students alone, and
some would need to be handicapped -accessible.
Parents could help with an evacuation if they can get to the school. Many could not in 2005. The
number of parents available to assist on any given day is an unknown quantity. The school would
need a tracking system to make certain that all students present on the day of the evacuation were
accounted for, much as they do now with a fire drill.
It is not only the emergency exit road that needs consideration. In the most recent fire (August,
2018), Waikoloa Road itself was closed at the Queen Kaahumana Highway, and all north bound
traffic continued to the Kawaihae Road and was backed up for miles.
There was another community debrief on this 2018 fire, which revealed that the fire had been
handled much better than in 2005. Reports from all the officials demonstrated improve
communications and implementation of damage control. The major concern raised by villagers
who were not privy to these official, inter -agency communications is that they were confused
and unclear about what they should or shouldn't do. Absent official notice, individuals relied on
social media and the coconut wireless, neither of which is necessarily reliable.
In the past 13 years, the emergency road has never been used for an evacuation, nor has it been
tested during non -emergency times for its viability. The Village's population is estimated to have
increased by 60+% since 2006. The only designated escape route is unproven yet needs to
accommodate a larger population than when it was constructed.
Recommendation: Out of prudence, Hawaii County should check the capacity and effectiveness
of Waikoloa Village evacuation plans and routes. The Hawaii County Fire Department could
have a "drill" for an evacuation of Wailoloa Village prior to an actual emergency, much like
drills are practiced in public schools regularly. While this would be more predictable and orderly
than an actual emergency evacuation, it would give villagers experience in the process and
provide very valuable data on the time it takes to evacuation and the suitability of the road for
such purposes with a variety of vehicles. Issues with coordination with Hawaii County Police,
CERT, and Civil Defense could also be identified and improvements could be made before an
actual emergency.
With this data, the evacuation plans should be published, noting responsible agencies and points
of contact. Communication protocols for getting accurate information and clear directions for
safely evacuating to regular folks are a high priority for Waikoloa villagers.
June 18, 2019 Page 11017
Waikoloa Subcommittee's Second Access Road Report
Recommendation: That the County work directly with the DOE and Waikoloa School to
develop a plausible evacuation plan for their unique population in case of an emergency that
requires an evacuation from the Village.
Emergency Evacuation TO Waikoloa Village from Coast
As of 2019, there are no options for residents or visitors to evacuate TO Waikoloa from the
South Kohala coastal areas in case of emergency ifthe Waikoloa Road/Paniolo Avenue
intersection is closed. The most probably emergencies that would require evacuations from the
coast would be tsunamis and hurricanes.
In 2011, the earthquake in Japan generated destructive waves on the Kohala/Kona coast,
resulting in flooding sufficient to close Kona Village permanently, and flood Kona Inn and the
King Kamehameha Hotel. South Kohala hotels and condos were evacuated to Waikoloa and
other shelters. Waikoloa School housed over 450 evacuees/visitors from the US and other
countries took refuge until the "all clear" was given the following morning.
There have also been evacuations from coastal resorts to shelters in Waikoloa Village due to
tsunamis. The experience of these evacuations leads to the recommendation that coastal
evacuation plans, particularly for all resorts, be reviewed by the County to ensure they are
coordinated and effective. The emergency evacuation road is also currently designed only for a
makai evacuation of personal vehicles out of Waikoloa Village and appears that it would not be
suited for a mauka evacuation from the coast, especially if the hotels used buses to transport
visitors.
The Subcommittee thought it prudent to find out what the oceanside hotels have in place for
evacuation in case of emergencies. Requests were made, but we received no responses.
Recommendation: That the County make an official request (e.g., from Civil Defense) to
coastal hotels for a copy of their individual evacuation plans, with a due date for submission.
These would be reviewed in totality to ensure that the combined evacuation plans are feasible
when all are executed at the same time. This feasibility review should include road traffic on the
Queen Ka'ahumana Highway and further inland, including Waikoloa Road and the Kawaihae
Grade. Shelter space should also be considerations for both Waikoloa and Waimea.
5. Paniolo Avenue/Waikoloa Road Capacity
The Subcommittee Report on the Intersection does not address capacity specifics because a true
Traffic Study has not been conducted. However, a reasonable person would assume that this
intersection would be woefully insufficient for a timely evacuation of the entire Village in case
of emergency, regardless of any traffic controls. The ability to evacuate 7000 people safely in
time to save lives should be known, not assumed or hoped for.
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Waikoloa Subcommittee's Second Access Road Report
6. Second Access Road Route Studies/Options
As mentioned in the introduction, schematic plans have been generated with potential horizontal
and vertical roadway alignments. The county had a study done in 2005 by Sam O. Hirota, Inc.
According to the consultant, the intent was to provide schematic plans of potential horizontal and
vertical roadway alignments with available existing data. The schematic shows four possible
egresses from Waikoloa Village and three possible intersections with the Queen Ka'ahumanu
Highway. The study did not consider approvals from the various landowners. The study did not
consider drainage culvert or bridge crossings. The study does not indicate a preferred route for
the second road. (See Appendix B, map of road options.)
The SKCDP states that the preferred route of Waikoloa residents is from the Paniolo Avenue
extension, through land owned by Waikoloa Heights (TMK 368002016), the Waikoloa Village
Association (TMK 368002015) and Puako 1010 (TMK 368001060) intersecting the Queen
Ka' ahumanu Highway near the entrance of the Mauna Lani Resort. The preferred route does not
go through any existing residential developments in Waikoloa. (See Appendix CDP -6A, map
indicating location of 2nd access road.)
Conclusion: Regardless of these previous efforts and indications, it has been clear all along that
Villagers and community volunteers do NOT have the technical design or engineering expertise
to determine the most plausible, cost-efficient route(s) for a Second Access Road.
Recommendation: That Hawaii County take primary responsibility for the research and
development groundwork necessary to determine the best route for a Second Access Road for
Waikoloa, including how that road can complement existing and anticipated roads and access
routes in South Kohala.
7. Benefits of Second Access Road
Guided by the General Plan's goals and purposes regarding Transportation in Hawaii County, these are
some of the benefits for the people and local commerce of Waikoloa Village specifically and to the South
Kohala District generally.
A Second Road into and out of Waikoloa Village during the regular course of the day, would:
• Augment the current primary artery (Paniolo Avenue & Waikoloa Road)
• Save Time
• Be Safer
• Be More Economical
• Be More Efficient
• Be better for the environment
• Provide more options for travel to the airport and harbors
• Provide better access to recreational areas and beaches
• Eliminate overcrowding and access road hazards
• Provide more options for bicyclists
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Waikoloa Subcommittee's Second Access Road Report
• Make for more pleasant travel
• Make possible future school development, e.g., a S. Kohala area high school
A Second Road into and out of Waikoloa Village during an Emergency Evacuation would:
• Decrease the amount of time needed to evacuate residents, workers, and visitors
• Be SIGNIFICANTLY Safer, possibly saving lives
• Reassure Villagers in times of crisis, avoiding dangerous driving, and chaos
• Give Villagers faith in the County's commitment to their safety and well-being.
• Give evacuees better access to other possible infrastructure improvement (Kawaihae Bypass,
Lalamilo Connector) and thus more ways to get to safe zones
Conclusion: There are multiple benefits for people and commerce in the South Kohala District from
construction of a Second Access Road in and out of Waikoloa Village.
8. CDP & General Plan Support for Second Access Road,
Improved Infrastructure in Waikoloa
In the South Kohala Community Development Plan (SKCDP), a Second Access Road for ingress
and egress for Waikoloa was the top priority, even exceeding the desire for a public high school
in the region.
At the early stages of development, the County Research and Development Department assisted
South Kohala volunteers in holding over 60 small & large group meetings in 2006-2007. (See
Appendix CDP -2A & 2B)
Referenced earlier in this report, the SKCDP documents:
• Growth in population (Appendix CDP -3)
• Housing development projections (Appendix CDP -3A & 3B)
• Waikoloa Zoning Map, indicating much potential for development such as the Waikoloa
Plaza (Appendix CDP -4)
In the specific Waikoloa Policies for the CDP,
• Policy 3 addresses Transportation & Circulation (Appendix CDP -5)
• Strategy 3.1 recommends planning, funding, and constructing a Second Access Road to
Queen Ka'ahumanu Highway, highlighting the evacuation needs of the Village, most
likely needed in the case of wildfires and documenting the recent history of those. The
area's dry climate, combined with the highly flammable introduced vegetation
consisting primarily of fountain grass and kiawe trees, and the frequency of high winds
make the Waikoloa area especially prone to large-scale wildfires. (Appendix CDP -6)
• Strategy 3.3 recommends an Upgrade of the Emergency Exit Road from Hulu St. to the
Queen Ka'ahumanu Hwy. that was created after the major wildfire in 2005. (Appendix
CDP -7)
• Strategy 3.5 recommends the Development of a Master Circulation Plan for Waikoloa
Village. (Appendix CDP -8)
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Waikoloa Subcommittee's Second Access Road Report
• Each for the four areas of the SKCDP had an ACTION PROGRAM included.
Waikoloa's first and foremost action recommended was Construction of a Second
Access Road. (Appendix CDP -9)
• The SKCDP established a Monitoring Plan for the South Kohala Region, a way to track
and assess the progress of policies. (Appendix CDP -10)
• The specific Monitoring Plan for Waikoloa regarding infrastructure was 9.3.3 "Provide
Transportation and Circulation Improvements in a Timely Manner" by looks at County
and State CIP allocations for infrastructure and the number of public/private
partnerships formed to provide for roadways. (Appendix CDP --I])
• The SKCDP cross referenced other existing County documents. Appendix D came from
the County's GENERAL PLAN (2005) "Courses of Action" for the District of South
Kohala. (Appendix CDP --12) There were three recommendations for Waikoloa
(Appendix CDP -13):
o Construction of another pAvenued road out of the Ke Kumu Housing are onto
Paniolo Drive.
o Extend Paniolo Drive to the intersect with Kawaihae Road and the proposed
Waimea-Kawaihae Road, and build a road connecting the northern end of Paniolo
Dr. to the Queen Ka'ahumanu Hwy. to provide alternative access to Waikoloa
Village.
o Provide traffic signals at the Waikoloa Road-Paniolo Drive intersection.
Finally, in the SKCDP Appendix E, Referenced County Codes were listed.
o Concurrency Requirements: This section creates standards for road and water
supply in change of zoning actions. Definitions are provided, including:
■ Acceptable levels of service
■ Approved development
■ Critical road area
■ Immediate vicinity of a project
■ Level of Service (LOS)
■ Local mitigation
■ Area mitigation
(Appendix CDP -14)
Conclusions:
Community desire for and County's understanding of the need for a Second Access Road
is exceptionally well documented in the South Kohala Community Development Plan in
Data Tables, the Waikoloa Policies, Strategies, Action Program, and Monitoring Plan.
Documentation of recommendations for infrastructure improvements and specifically a
traffic signal at the intersection were included in the 2005 County General Plan.
The only progress in the past 14 years on the County's GENERAL PLAN (2005)
"Courses of Action" for the District of South Kohala items listed above has been the
extension of Paniolo Avenuenue at the stoplight by the school to provide access to the
Kamakoa Nui Workforce Housing subdivision and related recreational park, and thus to
Ke Kumu Housing as well.
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Waikoloa Subcommittee's Second Access Road Report
9. Conclusion/Recommendations
To consolidate the Conclusions & Recommendations made in this report by category:
Overall
• Community desire for and County's understanding of the need for a Second Access Road
is exceptionally well documented in the South Kohala Community Development Plan in
Data Tables, the Waikoloa Policies, Strategies, Action Program, and Monitoring Plan.
Documentation of recommendations for infrastructure improvements and specifically a
traffic signal at the intersection were included in the 2005 County General Plan.
• The only progress in the past 14 years on the County's GENERAL PLAN (2005)
"Courses of Action" for the District of South Kohala items listed above has been the
extension of Paniolo Avenuenue at the stoplight by the school to provide access to the
Kamakoa Nui Workforce Housing subdivision and related recreational park, and thus to
Ke Kumu Housing as well.
In the Subcommittee's view, there is clearly a need for additional road access into and out
of Waikoloa Village, with emergency evacuations being just one of many factors. As
Waikoloa Village grows in population, including affordable housing, traffic will increase
and quality of life will be impacted. Planning for Waikoloa Village's future should
therefore include concrete plans for a second access road within the next 10 years.
Population Growth
Population growth has occurred as predicted and continues in Waikoloa. All indications
are that growth will continue and exceed that of other parts of the State and Hawaii
Island.
Commercial Growth
The BioEnergy project is likely to increase the amount of traffic on Waikoloa Road, and
it will likely decrease the speed of traffic flowing through Waikoloa from the Mamalahoa
Highway to near the Queen Ka' ahumana Highway.
The opening of Waikoloa Plaza will certainly increase the amount of traffic on Waikoloa
Road and congestion at the intersection at Paniolo Drive. It heightens the urgency of
addressing safety issues at the Waikoloa Road/Paniolo Drive intersection via a traffic
light or a round -about, and provide another access road to the Village.
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Waikoloa Subcommittee's Second Access Road Report
Emergency Evacuation Exit Route
Hawaii County should check the capacity and effectiveness of Waikoloa Village
evacuation plans and routes. The Hawaii County Fire Department could have a "drill"
for an evacuation of Wailoloa Village prior to an actual emergency, much like drills are
practiced in public schools regularly. While this would be more predicable and oRoaderly
than an actual emergency evacuation, it would give villagers experience in the process
and provide very valuable data on the time it takes to evacuation and the suitability of the
road for such purposes with a variety of vehicles. Issues with cooRoadination with
Hawaii County Police, CERT, and Civil Defense could also be identified and
improvements could be made before an actual emergency.
• That the County work directly with the DOE and Waikoloa School to develop a plausible
evacuation plan for their unique population in case of an emergency that requires an
evacuation from the Village.
Emergency Evacuation TO Waikoloa Village from Coast
There have also been evacuations from coastal resorts to shelters in Waikoloa Village due
to tsunamis. The emergency evacuation road is currently designed only for a makai
evacuation of personal vehicles out of Waikoloa Village and appears that it would not be
suited for a mauka evacuation from the coast, especially if buses were used.
That the County make an official request (e.g., from Civil Defense) to coastal hotels for a
copy of their individual evacuation plans with a due date, and assess their feasibility.
These would be reviewed in totality to ensure that the combined evacuation plans are
feasible when all are executed at the same time.
Second Access Road Route
It has been clear all along that Villagers and community volunteers do NOT have the
technical design or engineering expertise to determine the most plausible, cost-efficient
route(s) for a Second Access Road.
Recommend that Hawaii County take primary responsibility for the research and
development groundwork necessary to determine the best route for a Second Access
Road for Waikoloa, including how that road can complement existing and anticipated
roads and access routes in South Kohala.
Benefits of a Second Access Road
• There are multiple benefits for people and commerce in the South Kohala District from
construction of a Second Access Road in and out of Waikoloa Village, including
economic, efficiency, environment, and quality of life benefits. Most importantly, the
being significantly safer during an evacuation, possibly saving lives, and reassuring Villagers in
times of crisis, avoiding dangerous driving, and chaos, benefit the Village's peace of mind.
June 18, 2019 Page 17o17