HILO — A new crosswalk and flashing light will soon crop up on Manawalea Street near the Montessori school, with an assist from county property tax payers. ADVERTISING HILO — A new crosswalk and flashing light will soon crop up
HILO — A new crosswalk and flashing light will soon crop up on Manawalea Street near the Montessori school, with an assist from county property tax payers.
A resolution sponsored by North Kona Councilwoman Karen Eoff moves $10,000 from the council’s contingency relief fund, paid by property taxes, to the highway fund, backed by gas taxes, to help pay for the project. The council passed the resolution on a 9-0 vote.
“Adding this crosswalk and flashing lights to get vehicles to slow down will help protect children crossing the streets,” Eoff said after the meeting. “I was happy to be able to support this project that contributes to our Safe Routes To School initiative.”
Traffic Division Chief Ron Thiel said the project, originally estimated to cost $20,000, could come in a little higher because of unforeseen parking issues in the area. He said the project should be completed in six to 12 months.
Thiel said some money will also come from a state Safe Routes to School grant.
“My goal is address all 100 schools’ needs on this island,” Thiel said. “We’ve done maybe 10 so far.”
Hawaii recently ranked 15th in the nation in the rate of pedestrian deaths, according to a Honolulu Star-Advertiser analysis of federal traffic fatality data from 2010-2014. The analysis showed 1.6 deaths per 100,000 people.
There were 915 instances in which pedestrians were hit by motor vehicles on the Big Island between 2007 and May 31 this year, according to figures provided to the Hawaii Tribune-Herald by the Hawaii Police Department.
Thirty-one pedestrians were killed by vehicles in Hawaii County in that time frame, although police count only 23 of those as official traffic fatalities. Of the remainder, seven occurred on property other than a public roadway, while one is officially classified as a suicide.
The nonprofit Montessori Hawaii has campuses in Kona and Waimea and charges $600 to $1,300 monthly in tuition for infants to 6-year-olds. It’s not contributing to the cost of the project.
Each council member got $100,000 at the beginning of the fiscal year to spend on projects he or she considers priorities.
Montessori Executive Director Angeline Geldhof said traffic has increased significantly on the street, which is bordered by the 200-unit Lailani affordable apartment buildings on one side and Montessori and Kealakehe Elementary and Intermediate schools on the other.
“Many of these kids cross that street, all to go to school,” Geldhof said.
Council Chairman Dru Kanuha, of Kona, had similar concerns.
“You can see the kids running across the street,” Kanuha said. “Public safety is very important.”
