HDCC’s protest of the bid award to Goodfellow Brothers to widen Queen Kaahumanu Highway is moving forward. I strongly feel HDCC’s bid protest is a bunch of nonsense.Especially since it seems they have a much weaker case than Kiewit Pacific Company did during the first bid go around

But the latter pales in comparison to their poor job performance on Phase I. HDCC should be embarrassed that its taken them almost 4 years to widen 3 miles of road. However they must feel that they’ve done a great job on Phase I. If not they wouldn’t be fighting this latest bid award to GBI. Nonetheless, this is another example of a contractor (HDCC) being a legend in their own mind.

In short, HDCC should drop their bid protest. The Kona community needs phase II to be built in a timely manner.Which will happen if Goodfellow Brothers is allowed to move forward with construction of this much needed roadway project.

On a related note, there was a reader comment here which I thought is a great idea. We should be urging the state to bring a unbiased engineering firm to analyze HDCC’s job performance on Phase I.

“what i’d like to see.if somehow at all possible,Is to take all the information and details ,and delays,etc, and take this project info to a neutral expert of road construction ,an expert also too of dealing with lave rock blue rock,and worst case scenarios, and see if this expert agrees or disagrees that its okay that it took four years to build a couple of miles of road”

I cannot believe the gross miscarriage of justice that happened in this traffic death.Hawaii County’s police, and prosecutor really dropped the ball on this one. Thus the individual who allegedly hit this lady will likely get no more than a slap on the wrist.There is certainly no justice in that for the family of the deceased. I hope this travesty wakes people up that we need to boot out Hawaii County prosecutor Jay Kimura when he comes up for re-election in 2012.

Lastly, I’m thrilled to read that  U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Lloyd King may order a re-bid of Aloha Airlines intellectual assets.It was utterly blasphemous to the legacy of Aloha Airlines that Mesa would end up with these assets. Especially since they were a huge reason why Aloha Airlines ceases to exist today.

Kudos to West Hawaii Today for investigating further why Hawaii County failed to put the Coupe condemnation appeal on a expedited schedule despite Mayor Kenoi’s assurances that they would.This is an absolute travesty that Hawaii County is not fast tracking this. We need to resolve these outstanding issues relating to the Coupe’s appeal so this much needed roadway can be completed.

I’m a bit perplexed by this WHT article. It was my understanding that HDOT had plans to place a stop light at the Akoni Pule Highway/Kawaihae Road/Queen Kaahumanu Highway intersection.However according to latter article that doesn’t appear to be the case. I just sent off a e-mail to Brennon Morioka seeking clarification about this. (Update: I received an e-mail from Brennon stating the latter project should be going out to bid by the end of the year).(Update II: I followed up with Brennon.The latter project will only include a study to see if this intersection warrants a stop light.It won’t include a stop light installation).

Lastly, it seems more  people whom I blogged about yesterday cropped up in the reader comments to this letter to the editor criticizing the folks complaining how long the Queen Kaahumanu Highway Phase I widening project is taking.

” To Mr. “I blog, therefore I am” – you can move back and I guarantee that someone will take your place as a “vocal critic.” Open your mind and see things from a construction point of view, not a blogger’s point of view. “

” Anyone who doesn’t like the delays can move to the mainland where they’ll experience a real traffic gridlock. On nice new multi-lane roads. It’s all relative. HD is doing the best they can with the challenges they face from DOT and everything else. “

My response is below :

” Bugmenot how long have YOU lived here ? How can I move back to mainland when I was born and raised here. On top of that,nothing will change my mind that HDCC has done atrocious job on Phase I.No wonder things are so bad here. People like you try to make excuses why there is delays. “

West Hawaii Today finally published my letter to the editor about HDCC’s protest of the latest bid award to Goodfellow Brothers to widen Queen Kaahumanu highway from Kealakehe Parkway and Kona Int’l Airport.

On that note, I hate when people say you have to move back to mainland if you make complaints about issues here. The latter is precisely what happened under the reader comments here.This has happened to me in the past when I criticized the poor infrastructure at Kona Int’l Airport about 9 years ago in a WHT letter to to the editor. Someone said “If I want jet ways so badly, I should move back to the mainland.”

Below is my response to this individual :

“I’ve lived here almost 33 years, born and raised. Thus I can’t move back to mainland since I’ve been a vocal critic of this project. I’ve tried to gather information why there has been delays. But I’ve started to run out of patience. Especially after the latest delays. HDCC should be ashamed it has take almost 4 years to get 2 year project done. “

Vehicle traffic on Palani Road will be re-routed on to the new roadway parallel to the existing Palani Road starting February 2, 2009 @ 8:30am.This will allow the contractor Jas Glover to start construction on the intersection improvements at the future Kealaka’a Street/Palihiolo Street intersection. (DPW’s press release related to to this traffic flow changes is located here).

Hat tip to attorney Robert Thomas for blogging about Governor Lingle’s thoughts about the Hawaii ceded lands litigation. Which she mentioned her state of the state address today.