The existing Kawaihae Road is very dangerous now and will only become more dangerous in the future, not less. Very large commercial trucks (semis and tandam trucks from the port) are going up and down the narrow and winding road. They are very courteous and try to accommodate the traffic building up behind them by pulling over and driving on the shoulder. The passing is not only extremely dangerous for all the vehicles, but it is also illegal. Furthermore, there is no place for the police to monitor and pull over any traffic violators on that road.
There has been no communication from Department of Transportation in response to numerous requests for information. The road plans are going to mostly impact the residents of the west side of the island but they have not had one ounce or opportunity for input despite Gov. David Ige’s commitment to communication from the local community.
Numerous times, DOT has said studies show that traffic is decreasing on Kawaihae Road, In fact, DOT has recently acknowledged that there have been no studies done. Conflicting traffic counts are being used to justify the change.
1) In fact, DOT estimates show there will only be seven minutes saved when driving from Hilo to Kona or Hilo to Kawaihae Harbor once the Daniel K. Inouye Highway extension is built.
2) The 2035 harbor studies show the Kawaihae Harbor will double by 2035.
3) Hawaiian Homelands is building 400-plus homes that will exit and enter the current Kawaihae Road.
4) The Kawaihae Bypass could provide an emergency exit for Waikoloa residents on Paniolo Drive. At the present time, there is only one exit out of Waikoloa.
5) A connector between Waikoloa and Kawaihae Bypass could even provide a site for a future high school for Waikoloa and Waimea students.
6) Most of the traffic from the harbor goes to local Waimea and Hamakua Coast industries like livestock, logging, agriculture and quarries.
How does this justify eliminating 25 years of hard work and local planning to build a road that addresses the safety and growth of a community?
One last thought, Waimea and South Kohala have been selected to be a Blue Zones community. Their goal is to create living conditions that are less stressful. Building the Kawaihae Road to relieve the stress of unsafe traffic conditions is a Blue Zones Project.
Please attend the meeting with the Department of Transportation and legislators from 4 to 6 p.m. Nov. 10 at the Waimea Town Hall (behind Kahilu Theater) to voice your opinion on returning the Kawaihae Bypass to the state projects list.
Joyce O’Connor is a resident of Waimea.
Viewpoint articles are the opinion of the writer and not necessarily the opinion of West Hawaii Today.
