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Home My WebLink About2025-05-27 HRS 6E-8 Determination JOSH GREEN,M.D. EDWIN H.SNIFFEN GOVERNOR `}.„ ' DIRECTOR KE KIA'AINA KA LUNA HO'OKELE DESIGN BRANCH,ROOM 688A dI ?f BRIDGE DESIGN SECTION,ROOM 611 9 �". ,1r Deputy Directors CADASTRAL DESIGN SECTION,ROOM 600 1 _r r Na Hope Luna Ho'okele ENVIRONMENTAL DESIGN SECTION, - ROOM 688A DREANALEE K.KALILI HIGHWAY DESIGN SECTION,ROOM 609 TAMMY L.LEE HYDRAULIC DESIGN SECTION,ROOM 636 CURT T.OTAGURO TECHNICAL DESIGN SECTION,ROOM 688 ROBIN K.SHISHIDO STATE OF HAWAII I KA MOKU`AINA'0 HAWAII DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION I KA`OIHANA ALAKAU IN REPLY REFER TO: 601 KAMOKILA BOULEVARD KAPOLEI, HAWAII 96707 HWY-DS 2.20575 May 27, 2025 TO: DAWN N. S. CHANG, CHAIRPERSON AND STATE HISTORIC PRESERVATION OFFICER DEPARTMENT OF LAND AND NATURAL RESOURCES ATTENTION: JESSICA PUFF ADMINISTRATOR STATE HISTORIC PRESERVATION DIVISION FROM: HENRY KENNEDY 7."7/ 141-4 ENGINEERING PROGRAM MANAGER DESIGN BRANCH SUBJECT: HAWAII REVISED STATUES (HRS) § 6E-8 EFFECT DETERMINATION KAWAIHAE ROAD, REPLACEMENT OF WAIAKA BRIDGE AND REALIGNMENT OF APPROACHES WAIMEA, LALAMILO, AND KEANUIOMANO AHUPUAA, KOHALA DISTRICT, ISLAND OF HAWAII FEDERAL-AID PROJECT NO. BR-NH-019-1(045) TAX MAP KEYS: (3) 6-5-001:015 POR. AND 033 POR.; AND 6-6-001:011; 6-6-004:999 (KAWAIHAE ROAD RIGHT-OF-WAY); 6-6-009:999 (KOHALA MOUNTAIN ROAD RIGHT-OF-WAY) The State of Hawaii Department of Transportation (HDOT) is proposing the replacement of the Waiaka Stream Bridge and realignment of roadway approaches located in the City of Kamuela, Ahupuaa of Kauniho, Lalamilo, Waiaka 1st and 2nd, Kalana of Waimea, South Kohala District, Island of Hawaii (enclosed Figure 1). In accordance with Hawaii Revised Statutes (HRS) § 6E-8 and Hawaii Administrative Rules (HAR) § 13-13-275, HDOT is requesting the State Historic Preservation Division's (SHPD) concurrence on a determination of"Effect, with proposed mitigation commitments." DAWN N. S. CHANG, CHAIRPERSON AND STATE HISTORIC HWY-DS 2.20575 PRESERVATION OFFICER May 27, 2025 Page 2 Description of the Project and Updated Project Area The proposed project includes replacing the existing Waiaka Bridge, located at mile marker 58.88 along Kawaihae Road(State Route 19), in accordance with the design guidelines of the American Association of State Highway Transportation Officials, as adopted by the HDOT for our highway projects. The replacement bridge will accommodate two travel lanes, a shoulder/bike lane, and a raised sidewalk. The approaches will be realigned for a smooth transition to the replacement bridge as well as a roundabout reconfiguration at the Kawaihae Road and Kohala Mountain Road(State Route 250) intersection. In all, the undertaking will consist of the following: • Bridge Replacement: The existing 38 feet long by 26 feet wide with a 3-foot pedestrian walkway bridge will be replaced with an approximately 80 feet long by 53 feet wide bridge. The replacement bridge will include two 12-foot-wide travel lanes and a raised concrete shared-use path. • Realignment of Approaches: The realignment of approaches will affect a section of Kawaihae Road and Kohala Mountain Road. The realignment will extend beyond the existing right-of-way and will require land acquisition from adjacent landowners. • Intersection Improvements: The intersection improvements will include a one-lane roundabout. • Temporary Bypass Bridge and Road: A temporary bypass bridge and road will be constructed to ensure continuous vehicular use during construction activities. Identification of Historic Properties Efforts to identify historic properties included the review of previous archaeological, architectural, historical, and cultural studies; archaeological fieldwork; and consultation with Native Hawaiian Organizations and other interested parties. The review of prior archaeological studies, Corbin 2007; Haun et al. 2002, 2003; Sinoto 1998; Thompson and Rosendahl 1992, indicated that within the current Project Area, two historic properties were previously identified. State Inventory of Historic Places (SIHP) Site 50-10-06-23313 is a concrete foundation located in Keanuiomano Stream. Haun et al., 2002, interpreted this site to be the foundation of a water pump and assessed it to be significant under Criterion d for the information it yielded relative to historic land use. SIHP Site 50-10-06-29221 is the Waiaka Bridge, which was assessed to be significant under Criterion c and d as a good example of a modest reinforced concrete slab bridge that embodies "[t]he distinctive characteristics of a type, period, or method of construction" and as the first Federal Aid bridge constructed on Hawaii Island, Log No. 2011.2731, Doc. DAWN N. S. CHANG, CHAIRPERSON AND STATE HISTORIC HWY-DS 2.20575 PRESERVATION OFFICER May 27, 2025 Page 3 No. 1108MA05. It was also assessed to be significant under Criterion d for the information it yielded relative to historic land use. A third site, SIHP Site 50-10-06-22632 is a pre-contact to early historic period agricultural complex that was documented adjacent to the current project area. That site was previously assessed as significant under Criteria a, c, and d. In August of 2020, ASM Affiliates conducted an archaeological survey of historic properties and prepared the Historic Properties Assessment in Support of NHPA Section 106 and HRS Chapter 6E-8 Review of the Waiaka Bridge Replacement and Roadway Realignment Project, Barna 2022, in compliance with HAR § 13-276 and Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act(enclosed). During the 2020 fieldwork, the three previously documented historic properties discussed above were identified, and it was determined that the former location of the 1865 Waiaka Catholic Church could also be within the Project Area. Site 50-10-06-23313, which Haun et al., 2002, had identified as a concrete foundation, was identified within the Project Area. Based on additional research, the site was interpreted as the Keanuiomano Stream Gage (United States Geological Survey [USGS] 16756500), which was constructed in 1955 and remains in use. Site 50-10-06-29221, the Waiaka Bridge, was identified within the Project Area. Site 50-10-06-22632, a pre-contact to early historic period agricultural complex, was identified adjacent to the Project Area in an area where no development activities associated with the proposed project will occur. The former location of the 1865 Waiaka Catholic Church, which burned down in 1900 and was rebuilt in 1916 before being moved to a new site near the intersection of Kawaihae Road and Lindsey Road, could not be positively identified as a result of the Barna 2023 study and has not been assigned an SIHP designation. As a result of the Barna 2023 identification effort, the two historic properties identified within the Project Area were assessed for significance. Under HRS Chapter 6E, for a resource to be considered significant it must possess integrity of location, design, setting, materials, workmanship, feeling, and association and meet one or more of the criteria listed in HAR § 13-275. Both identified historic properties retained sufficient integrity of all categories to be evaluated. Site 50-10-06-23313, the United States Geological Survey Keanuiomano Stream gaging station, was assessed to be not significant. Site 50-10-06-29221, the Waiaka Bridge, was assessed to be significant under Criterion c and d. See Table 1 Historic Property Identified During the Current Study. DAWN N. S. CHANG, CHAIRPERSON AND STATE HISTORIC HWY-DS 2.20575 PRESERVATION OFFICER May 27, 2025 Page 4 Table 1. Historic Property Identified During the Current Study SIHP Site Number Property Age Significance 50-10-06-23313 Keanuiomano Stream gage (concrete 1955 Not foundation) significant 50-10-06-29221 Waiaka Bridge 1932 c, d Determination of Effect HDOT has determined that the Project will have an"effect" on Site 50-10-06-29221, the Waiaka Bridge, which will be removed and replaced with a new Waiaka Bridge. The Project would result in the physical destruction of the bridge. Because the Project will affect this historic property and the effects will be harmful, the recommended determination of effect under HAR § 13-275-7 for the proposed project is therefore"Effect, with proposed mitigation commitments." To mitigate adverse effects caused by the demolition of the Waiaka Bridge, a Memorandum of Agreement(MOA)between the Federal Highway Administration and the State Historic Preservation Officer has been prepared. The MOA stipulates that Historic American Engineering Record documentation of the bridge will occur, and interpretive signage will be created and erected to commemorate the original bridge. Furthermore, due to the culturally sensitive nature of the Project Area, the uncertain location of the 1865 Catholic Church, and the need to protect the nearby agricultural complex, Site 50-10-06-22632, from development activities, archaeological monitoring of ground disturbing activities within the Project Area will be undertaken for precautionary and identification purposes. A Draft Archaeological Monitoring Plan for the project was prepared in accordance with HAR § 13-277 and is enclosed with this letter. Conclusion The HDOT asks for your concurrence with our determination of"Effect, with proposed mitigation commitments." We would appreciate a written response from the Depatltnent of Land and Natural Resources-SHPD within forty-five (45) days from date of receipt of this letter to Mr. Andrew Hirano via email at andrew.j.hirano@hawaii.gov. DAWN N. S. CHANG, CHAIRPERSON AND STATE HISTORIC HWY-DS 2.20575 PRESERVATION OFFICER May 27, 2025 Page 5 Should you have any questions,please contact our Project Manager, Mr. Andrew Hirano, at (808) 692-7546, from our Design Branch, Technical Design Services Section or by email at andrew.j.hirano@hawaii.gov. Enclosures