HomeMy WebLinkAboutAC-Mayor Bus Service to Airports JNSVf0F 14
William P.Kenoi �:'�� �'..: Duane Kanuha
Mayor Director
Bobby Command
Deputy Director
County of Hawaii
PLANNING DEPARTMENT
PUNA COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT PLAN ACTION COMMITTEE
Aupuni Center • 101 Pauahi Street,Suite 3 • Hilo,Hawaii 96720
Phone(808)961-8288 • Fax(808)961-8742
July 8, 2014
Mayor William P. Kenoi
County of Hawaii
25 Aupuni St
Hilo, HI 96720
RE: Mass Transit access to the Hawaii County airports
Aloha Mayor Kenoi,
The Puna CDP Action Committee and its Mass Transit Subcommittee is writing to request a status
report and implementation timeline on the availability of bus transport to the Keahole and Hilo airports
and to the Hilo Airport Post Office and the Kailua-Kona Post Office.
We support mass transit to these locations because of our serious concerns stemming from the lack of
bus routes to the airport for the general public. We are even more concerned about the hardship it is
placing on community members with disabilities as well as those whose income prohibits them from
paying fare for cabs or other more expensive alternatives to the airport. The elderly, parents with
young children, and persons with disabilities in our community who cannot afford any mode of
transportation other than mass transit, are experiencing greater risks than ever before getting to and
from essential medical treatment, as well as other needs which require trips to locations off island.
Those who are able to access private transportation not available to members of our community with
financial hardships can sometimes take for granted the ease of getting to and from the airport to visit
`ohana and loved ones in distress on neighboring islands or abroad, or of getting medical care that
requires trips off island. The PCDP Action Committee wishes to express our growing concern for the
lack of action by our County's government to provide such basic services as these for our Puna
community.
The PCDP Action Committee has identified the public transportation Actions in the PCDP as a major
concern and of the highest priority, and has tasked the Mass Transit Subcommittee with the
responsibility of stewarding their implementation. The Puna Community Development Plan ,
Transportation Section 4.2.3, Action"k." states: "Expand Hele-On service to include regular service
to both Hilo and Keahole International Airports from all existing and future service routes." This is a
county wide issue that has long been overlooked. Moreover, this lack of service appears to violate
rights protected by Section VI of the Civil Right Act of 1964 and more specifically by the Americans
with Disability Act of 1989.
Hawai`i County is an Equal Opportunity Provider and Employer
William P. Kenoi, Mayor
County of Hawaii
July 8, 2014
Page 2
Much ground work towards the implementation of this service has been completed by past and current
Puna community members of the PCDP. To date,continued and ongoing efforts by the Action
Committee and Mass Transit Subcommittee to collaborate with MTA on this and other mass transit
issues have not produced positive results. We respectfully request a status report of the county's
actions toward bringing this service to fruition for the Puna district as well as Hawaii County. The
Mass Transit Subcommittee and the PCDP Action Committee are willing to assist the MTA in any way
possible to move this extremely important project forward.
Mahalo for your consideration of this request.
Sincerely,
Patti Pinto, Chair
PCDP Action Committee
Cc: Tiffany Kai, Mass Transit Administrator
Molly Stebbins, Corporation Counsel
Bill Brilhante, Deputy Corporation Counsel
Duane Kanuha, Planning Director
Greggor Ilagan, Council Member, District 4
Zendo Kern, Council Member, District 5
Brenda Ford, Council Member, District 6
Dennis "Fresh" Onishi, Council Member, District 3
Valerie Poindexter, Council Member, District I
J. Yoshimoto, Council Member, District 2
Dru Mamo Kanuha, Council Member, District 7
Karen Eoff, Council Member, District 8
Margaret Wille, Council Member, District 9