HomeMy WebLinkAbout2024-12-05 Adam Roberts From: Adam Roberts
To: WPCtestimonv; LPCtestimonv
Subject: General Plan
Date: Thursday,December 5, 2024 11:06:04 AM
Aloha,
I wanted to comment on the transportation and reducing miles traveled portion of this plan.
I attended a general plan meeting on November 4th in Hilo. It was raining that day. I drove 77
miles from Ocean View to be there. I called the police line before I headed for home because I
am aware that the highway floods near Punaluu and the road can be shut down. I was told that
it was open and that I should go. They would not tell me if the road would be closing soon.
I drove 57 miles in rain only to arrive at Punaluu and it was closed with no ETA on opening. I
waited there with my 3 keiki for 2 hours. I then found out from a friend that it would likely be
closed overnight.
at 7:45 pm I headed out the long way around the island to get home. After driving 182 miles,
we arrived home at midnight.
This was 239 EXTRA miles driven by just me. Imagine how many other people had to do
this.
This road flooding issue has been a known issue for as long as I can remember. There has
been no solution, and there is not a good updating system. Had I known it would close, I
would have just left over saddle road at 4:15 pm and avoided all the extra night driving in the
rain and getting home so late, not to mention miles traveled.
This is the second time in this semester I have had to do this. The first was after hurricane
Hone. The rain had stopped but the road was still closed with no ETA on opening. I drove my
daughter all the way around the island there and back just to get her to her college classes.
Please address these important issues. It extend more than just the flooded road. When an
accident happens and the highway closes, there are no updates. People end up driving many
miles around to get home, where if they had an update, maybe they would not have.
Please also address the issue of dogs. Our town has become unsafe. It is unsafe to walk, it is
unsafe to own animals. A man was killed last year by dogs. People are attacked constantly by
dogs. My neighbors, myself, and countless others have lost beloved pets (on our own
property) to dogs. Please do something drastic about this problem!
Please do not change land zoning and do anything that would hinder landowners rights in this
plan.
Mahalo for your time,
Adam Roberts