HomeMy WebLinkAbout2024-09-05 Mayor's Waipio Valley 13th Amended Traffic Emergency (final) �YY of k a
��� Deanna Ssako
Mitchell U. Roth �"��"'.
Vcf)or % uuhrra /MGz7or
[2s�taert 11.C"rrrnanand
��'�. : ,rx M�»"fv I�arr+ara if�ncrtdnr;!)ireetur
cf,VUUN of
4!Irf of Nh+i#�
( ffiCr a f f f I r Iur
25 Aupuni Street,Suite 2603 * Hilo, Hawaii 96720 (808)961-8211 Fax(808)961-6553
KONA 74-5044 Ane Keohok5lole Hwy Bldg O • Kailua-Kona Hawaii 96740
(808)323-4444 r Fax(808)323-4440
Thirteenth Amended I'll-atfic Emergency Zone Declaration And
Thirteenth Waipi`o Vallee Road Declaration Of Emergency
WI fl,"R.FIA S, Waipi`o Valley Road is a f'Our-wheel drive County road located on the
northern Ilan-taktia Coast of l lawai`i Island. The road is narrow and winds dowry the steep
hillside, of the scDrrth valley w r11,
WH RI;AS, Waipi`o Valley Road is the only vehicular ingress and egress for \Vaipi`o
Valley.
WI IF;RFAS, Waipi`o Valley Road is used by residents of Waipi`o Valley, fanners who
transport agricultural products gro"n and harvested in Waipi"() Valley. flawai`i County
residents. visitors, and authorised tour operators.
W1IFRf,;AS, Wa pi`o Valley Road presents significant safety risks. For example, it lacks
shoulders or adequate troughs to catch falling rocks and debris. The road is slippery, particularly
after heavy rains, and adequate stormwater infrastructure is lacking. Some portions of"tyre road
are unpassa.ble for- tvvo vehicles. Limited sight distance along the road hampers driver ability- to
safely navigate oncoming traffic and pedestrians ill the roacl\ay.
W111"REAS, \Vaipi`o Valley Road descends about 800 feet in elevation over
approximately 4100 feet. Rock OLItcropping and vegetation overhang the road.
Wllf-.RI,'AS, Waipi'o Valley Road can experience significant an-counts ofrunoff',
particularly after heavy rains. I listorically. the ('oerrlty closes the road following periods of
heavy rain and to clear rock, soil and vegetation which has fallen on and across; the road.
W1IERf;AS, a slope failure occurred in \larch 2019 firllovving heavy rainfall and high
streanif ovv associated with ffurricanc Lane. The primary slide wrys approximately 500 feet tall.
and 70 feet wide. Additional upslope landslide events occurred in April 2018 and February
2019.
W'llfi;R.I;A``S, on or ab(-rrrt April 2. 2020, the: County hired a c;orrsultant. 1-lart Crowser, to
conduct a Preliniinary t icotechnical F;rrgincering F"valuation.
(_ountN of`lkm ai'i is an I qual Op porwnit% Pr o ider and I:rnprylrryer
I hirteenth Amended I iaffic Fnmgency z,one Declaration and
I hineenth Waipi n V ffley Road Declaralion ol'Fmergnlcy
Page 2 M'4
WHEREAS, the County"s receipt of the completed. I Jart Cro\,N'ser*s Preliminary
Geotechnical Report dated JanUary, 2022 ("Report'"") occurred in January 2022,
W I IERE'AS, the Report provided geotechnical data regarding, the Current condition of the
road and hazard ratings associated with those condition, which further detailed the described the
dangers Waipio Valley Road poses to the health, safety and welfare of the people.
WHF',RF'AS, the County retained Hart Crowser, now a division of Raley & Aldrich, to
further evaluate Waipi'o Valley, Road and recommend specific mitigation measures to make the
road safe.
Wf IFIREAS., Haley & Aldridge submitted a report to the County dated September 30,
2022 entitled Rockfall and Slope Instability Mitigation and Conceptual Design Surnniary Report
"Summary Report" wherein it recommended a phased mitigation approach to address nUrnerotis
hazards along the roadway. (See Summar)
WI IEREAS, the Departnient of Public Works held an initial COMMUnity meeting on
October 26, 2022, at the gymnasium in I lonokaa and discussed the findings of the SUruniary
Report as well as plans to make additional safety irnprovements to the roadway. I lie o\erall
schedule and impacts to the community during the 2 to 3-year construction were discussed.
Wl IEREAS, rernediation efforts have commenced to increase the safety of'Waipi'o
Valley Road and are ongoing. Fo this end, the County is finishing mitigation work (referred to
as Phase I ) which commenced on or about June 1, 2023, and has plans to perform additional
work over the next two (2) years (referenced currently as Phase 2 and Phase 3). A public
meeting was held on May 1, 2023, to discuss road conditions, planned work, and additional
meetings are planned prior to peil'ortning further mitigation activities.
WHEREAS. the Current condition poses substantial endangerment to public health and
safety, and warrants preerrIptive and protective action in order to provide for the health, safety.
and welfare of the people using the road who will be negatively impacted it"the road fails and
residents are unable to enter and exit Waipi'o Valley.
WHERFAS, the current danger to pedestrians navigating Waipi*o Valle), Road presents
an unacceptable risk that cannot be corrected absent regulations and/or rernediation.
WI IERII'AS, limiting vehicular access genet-ally, and, specifically, to drivers familiar
with the Current road conditions is a necessary action for vehicular navigation ot'\k'aipi'o Valley
Road until adequate retnediation measures can be irrIplernented.
WFIERF"AS, I lmvai'i Revised Statutes ("IMS"), Section 264-1.5, pert-nits establishment
of traffic emergency zone in response to substantial endangerment to public health and safety
which is or is highly likely to be caused by the temporary Closure of, or the lack of adequate
access to Waipio Valley via Waipicr Vallee Road.
Thmeenth Amendeu Traffic V'nwrgenc,,1(me Dedufanon and
lhirteenth Wuip o Valley Road Declwanon ofFineqclic"
Page 3 of
\XIIE`RT'AS, on February 25, 2022. aTruffitc L`.mcrgency Zone Declaration wasestablished for the Waipi*o Valley Road ("'Traffic Declaration-) and the Mayor's Waipi'o Valley
Road Emergency Rule No. I ("Emergency Rules-) were issued to regulate use of Waipi'o
Valley Road.
WFFI,,'RFIAS, FOHOWing issuance ofthe Traffic Declaration and EATiergency Rules, the
(.',OLjnty field public meetings, received comments from the corniliunity, responded to lawsuits,
clarified certain findings made in the Summary Report, and retained Haley & Aldrich to conduct
further gcotechnical studies to recommend rernediation measures necessary to improve the
dangers presented by the current condition of Valley Road,
I I
WA IFAFAS, I-IRS §127A-14 authorizes the mayor to declare an emergency has occurred.
WIIF'RF'AS, IIRS §I 27A-2 defines in emergency to include an Occurrence which results
or nary result in substantial injury or harm to the population or substantial damage to or loss of
property.
WHEREAS, I-IRS §127A-14(c) vests the mayor with sole authority to judge the existence;
of the danger, threat., or c irCL1rll stances giving rise to a declaration of a state ofernergencv.
WHE'Rt-AS. eftective September 19, 2022, a. First Waipi'o Valley Road Declaration of
YI-nergency, was established for the Waipi'o Valley Road (" Declaration of Emergency").
Wflf"IRI'AS. effective September 19, 2022, an Amended Traffic Zone Declaration was
established for the Waipi'o Valley Road ("A raffic Declaration").
WIIERI-.,'AS,, the Traffic Declaration and Declaration of"Emergency have remained in
effect pursuant to the Second Amended Trafflic Emergency Zone Declaration and Second
Waipi'o Valley Road Declaration ofEmergency were established for the Waipi'o Valley Road
("Second Amended Declarations"). effective November 14, 2022; Third Amended Traffic
Emergency Zone Declaration and Third Waipi'o Valley Road Declaration of F"inergency,
effective January 13, 2023; Fourth Amended Traffic Erriergency Zone Declaration and I"()Urth
Waipi'o Valley Road Declaration of Emergency, effective March 14, 2023: F'ifth Amended
Traf'fic Emergency Zone Declaration and Fifth Waipi'o Valley Road Declaration of L"merge ncy,
effective May 13., 2023; Sixth Amended 'Fraffic F"mergency, Zone Declaration and Sixth Waipi'o
Valley Road Declaration of Emergency, effective July 12, 2023; Seventh Amended "Traffic
Emergency Zone Declarati(,,)n and Seventh Waipi,o Valley Road Declaration of t,"niergency,
effective September H, 2023, Eighth Amended Traffic F1'nlergcncy Zone Declaration; I'lighth
Waipi'o Valley Road Declaration of Emergency, effective November 10, 2023; Nineth Amended
Traffic Emergency Zone Declaration and Nineth Waipi'o Valley Road Declaration of'
Emergency. effective January 10, 2024; "Tenth Amended Traffic f"'Irnergency Zone Declaration
and F'enth Waipi'o Valley Road Declaration of Emergency, effective March 10. 2024 and
Eleventh Amended Traf ic Emergency Zone Declaration and Eleventh Waipi'o Valley Road
Declaration ofErnergency, effective May 10, 2024: '1 welt"th Amended Traffic Emergency Zone
Declaration and Twelfth Waipi'o Valley Road Declaration ofErnergericy, effective September 7,
2024 (collectively "I raffic and Road Emergency L)eclarations").
Thirteenth Amended Traffic Emergency Zone Declaration and
Thirteenth Waipi`o Valley Road Declaration of Emergency
Page 4 of 4
WHEREAS,pursuant to the Declaration of Emergency and Traffic Declaration,
Emergency Rule No. 2 and Emergency Rule No. 1 were issued on September 15, 2022,with an
effective date of September 19,2022.
WHEREAS,pursuant to the Second Amended Declarations,the Mayor's Waipi`o Valley
Road Continued Emergency Rule No. 2 and Emergency Rule No. 1 were issued, effective
November 14, 2022 ("Emergency Rules").
WHEREAS,the Emergency Rules have continued in effect pursuant to the effective
Traffic and Road Emergency Declarations.
WHEREAS,the conditions giving rise to the Traffic and Road Emergency Declarations
still exist.
NOW, THEREFORE,I,MITCHELL D. ROTH,Mayor of the County of Hawaii, do
hereby proclaim and declare a traffic emergency zone for Waipio Valley Road due to the
substantial danger to.the health, safety, and welfare of the people which is or is highly likely to
be caused by the temporary closure of, or the lack of adequate access to Waipio Valley Road.
The Amended Traffic Emergency Zone Declaration remains effective September 19,
2022, continuing thereon until February 25, 2027, unless further amended,terminated, or
superseded by a separate proclamation,whichever shall occur first.
NOW, THEREFORE,I MITCHELL D.ROTH,Mayor of the County of Hawaii do,
further,proclaim and declare that an emergency has occurred effective September 8, 2024, and
continuing through November 6,2024.
NOW, THEREFORE,the Mayor's Waipi`o Valley Road Continued Emergency Rule No.
2 and Emergency.Rule No. 1 shall remain in effect.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this,54'-day of September,2024
in Hilo,Hawaii. `
Mitchell D. Roth
Mayor
County of Hawaii
APPROVED AS T
FO 7K3 L ALI Y:
Sinclair s-Fe use I HEREBY CERTIFY that above is a
Deputy orpo ion Co true and correct copy ofthe original
now on file in my office.
County Clerk