Rocker Sammy Hagar couldn’t drive 55 and now you can’t either.
At least not on Queen Kaahumanu Highway from mile marker 67 and 75.4, between the vicinity of Kawaihae Road and vicinity of Waikoloa Beach Drive. The state Department of Transportation announced Monday it has lowered the speed limit from 55 mph to 45 mph.
Changing the speed limit to make it a consistent 45 mph was prompted by crash data, including one fatal crash, T-bone crashes at the Mauna Lani Drive intersection, reported near crashes and the presence of adjacent residences, the agency said in a statement.
James Hustace, president of the South Kohala Traffic Safety Committee, said his committee has been discussing problems on the road for a long time, and had actually been in the process of drafting a letter “to further support HDOT as they conducted studies and made a determination about speed reductions,” when the announcement was made Monday.
“With the current limitations along Queen Kaahumanu Highway and projects stalled through the years — as Aina Lea was required to build and improve the Mauna Lani intersection — there is little immediate change that can be implemented other than reducing vehicle speed limits,” Hustace said.
But not everyone is happy with the reduced speed. Michael Konowicz, a Waikoloa Village resident who’s active in several community groups,called the new speed limit “a recipe for disaster,” because traffic was already passing at greater speeds than those driving the legal limit and, without constant policing, the situation becomes even more unsafe.
“When I mentioned to people they were proposing the speed limit be dropped, I heard nothing but negative reaction from the community,” Konowicz said. “My personal opinion as a resident and not as a board or commission member is the speed reduction is not an appropriate fix to the issue there. A long approved traffic light at the entrance to Mauna Lani, which Aina Lea agreed to pay for a few years ago, would help make that stretch of highway much safer than this speed reduction.”
Hustace also hopes the speed limit isn’t going to be the only approach to the problem.
“It is the committee’s hope that other projects and initiatives are being considered to address safety along Queen Kaahumanu Hwy. and at intersection points,” Hustace said. “Yes, there is a measurable inconvenience for motorists as they drive on Queen Kaahumanu Highway now, but the safety of our residents and visitors on our roads is paramount. There is more work we need to do as a community to improve road safety and we welcome input from and collaboration with all partners.”