Plan strives to improve downtown Hilo experience

Downtown Hilo is great for shopping, sightseeing, socializing, and more.

But it’s difficult to do any of those things if you’re whizzing by at 35 miles per hour.

In an effort to open the downtown area up to visitors and residents by making it easier to access through various means of transportation, in addition to cars — all while maintaining the character that makes the town uniquely Hilo — the county Planning Department has begun work on its Downtown Hilo Multimodal Master Plan, which will help direct future policies, planning and design.

The task of researching and writing the plan falls to contracted engineering firm SSFM International, which will gather and assess data through observation of the downtown area and meeting with various focus groups to find out what does and doesn’t work about the town’s infrastructure, according to April Suprenant, the county’s long-range planning manager.

“The focus is really about multimodal and working with our existing infrastructure of streets and sidewalks. … Looking at alternative ways to both move cars easily through downtown, but also allowing for easy and accessible parking so that people can come in, park, leave their car, and be more comfortable walking around and doing their shopping and activities or dance class or whatever that may be, and then coming back to their car at the end of that,” she said.

The goal she said, is “To improve the overall experience downtown and to improve the overall mobility — that includes transit, that includes vehicles, that includes parking, pedestrians, also cyclists.”

From January through March, the SSFM project team was in town conducting seven different focus groups in Hilo to gather feedback from various interests, including event sponsors, visitor industry representatives, advocacy organizations, residents, downtown landowners, downtown businesses, and Hilo High students and teachers.

Additionally, “last month we conducted a parking turnover study,” said Cheryl Soon, SSFM project manager. “We didn’t know how long people were in them (the parking spaces).”

The data from that study is still being collected and analyzed, she said, but when it is ready, it will help the planners to know how the current parking system works around town and how it can be improved.

Ideas like the realignment of existing parking spaces, improved signage pointing the way to existing parking lots, or even the addition of new parking lots could be on the table, depending on what kind of funding is available, Soon said.

Hilo town has a lot going for it when it comes to presenting an engaging place for people to pursue business and recreation, Soon said, and her job is simply to help get the most of what is readily available, and how to prepare for future construction, paving and more.

“There are a lot of things that set you apart in a positive way in Hilo,” she said. “The block sizes are an appropriate size for a small town, and the mix of businesses is very exciting and very entrepreneurial. There’s lots of food and clothing businesses. It’s something uniquely them, versus chain stores. You have awnings over your sidewalks, providing shade when you need it or cover from the rain. …

“You have the ongoing farmers market … You have historic buildings that are interesting, with a history to them. You have spaces where people can sit and rest and enjoy and people-watch. You have a lot of people who are creating events, like the Merrie Monarch. You have traditions and events that are very special. You have fabulous content … very exciting.”

On Saturday from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., the county and SSFM will host a kickoff event for the master plan. Hilo residents and other stakeholders are invited to participate in a number of fun, family events, as well as meet with project team members to share ideas and see what work has already been done.

For more information on the event, visit hawaiicountycompletestreets.com.

Email Colin M. Stewart at cstewart@hawaiitribune-herald.com.