2015-24 CERS Annual Report May 2015

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Communication No. 2015 -24 Connectivity and Emergency Response Subcommittee A subcommittee of the Puna Community Development Plan ANNUAL REPORT — MAY 2015 The Connectivity and Emergency Response Subcommittee began working in January of 2013 to gather data on possible road connectivity locations that would improve public safety, allow for emergency access and increase community connections throughout the Puna Districts. We worked over the next two years to collect community input. To this end, working with the Hawaii County Civil Defense Agency we created the first and second Puna Regional Emergency Preparedness Fairs (PREP Fairs). At these Fairs we gathered community input from thousands of Puna Residents establishing where connectivity points were needed, viability, community support /opposition, alternatives, etc. This data was assembled into a report that was submitted to the PCDP and adopted on May 13, 2014. Since this report, Tropical Storm Iselle and the June 27, 2014 lava flow have also created multiple emergency response and evacuation, as well as everyday challenges to movement throughout the Puna District. Considering input since the last report and acts of nature, our number one priority for implementation is to create an alternate route in Upper Puna from Volcano to Highway 130. With population increasing at the highest rates in the State along the Upper Puna Highway 11 corridor, we see it as crucial that we address the reality that there is no way to travel parallel to Highway 11 without running into existing obstructions in that there are no connections between the subdivisions. The decision to connect these subdivisions is documented in the Puna Community Development Plan, 2008, with the intention of the County of Hawaii receiving community input to determine specifically where and how to connect them. With the Volcanoes National Park being the second most visited site in the State with approximately 3.4 million visitors last year, this additional traffic load challenges both residents and visitors that need to use Highway 11. An alternate, parallel, inter - subdivision corridor will relieve the daily use of this 2 -lane highway that services so many. The Upper Puna connectivity priorities are grouped as one as we see it as essential that an entire through route be completed as well as two additional roads to connect our parallel route with Highway 11. Puna Uka Priorities • Kaleponi to Punahele (Fern Forest — Eden Roc) • Punahele to Apele (Eden Roc — Kopua Farm Lots) • Waimako O Pele to Orchid (Kopua Farm Lots — Fern Acres) • Orchid to Uhiniana (Fern Acres — Hawaiian Acres) • Pulelehua to Pohaku (Hawaiian Acres — Orchidland) • Alula to 40th (Hawaiian Acres — Orchidland) • Complete South Lauko Road into Fern Acres • Complete South Oshiro Road into Eden Roc Estates • (Recommendation County improve intersection of 40th and Orchidland)