Monthly Archives: October 2010

Holu Street Connector Project Update

The on-site engineer for the current Saddle Road improvement phase between m.m 11-19 e-mailed me this update on the project.

“Progress is moving along into the final segment of the project this week, meaning our earthwork operations will start from mm 13 to 11. We will also start paving after the first of the year down to mm 14. Once paving is completed to mm 14 we will start installing final striping and signs.”

Bolton Inc. started mobilizing equipment for the Holu Street Connector project today.

Bolton is slated to start work November 1st, 2010 on the Holu Street Connector project. They anticipate completing this roadway extension by the end of the year.

Senator Inouye‘s office finally responded (via postal mail) to my e-mails expressing concern about the availability of future funding for the Saddle Road project.

Lastly, AT&T submitted an application on October 28, 2010 urging the FCC to withdraw their recent Sandwich Isles Communications ruling.


Saddle Road Improvement Project Update

Road and Highway Builders LLC has decided to suspend paving on Saddle Road for six to eight weeks. They encountered an issue with the quality of the asphalt. In addition, RHB may have to tear up some of the recently laid pavement.

(Related item: Saddle Road Reconstruction Update)

The Parker Ranch Connector Road grant of easement resolution officially has been agendized for the upcoming Hawaii Council meeting on November 4th, 2010. Parker Ranch has promised to open the roadway after the council has approved this easement legislation.

Goodfellow Brothers, the Queen Kaahumanu Highway Phase II widening project contractor, recently established a base yard across from  HDCC‘s old Kealakehe Parkway base yard. They are planning to store only pipe material at this location.

Ed Brown, Goodfellow’s regional manager, stated they were not going to use this location at the first Queen Kaahumanu Highway widening public meeting. Goodfellow had made arrangements to establish a base yard at NELHA. However, NELHA doesn’t permit entities storing materials on their property unless its for an on-site CIP project. So, Goodfellow had to find another location nearby. This is why they established a base yard on Kealakehe Parkway.

I might’ve made some headway regarding HDCC‘s abandoned Kealakehe Parkway base yard. HDCC will be submitting a schedule to the HDOT delineating when they’ll completely vacate this area shortly.

Abbey Mayer, the director of the state Office of Planning, replied to my e-mail questioning his position on The Villages at Aina Le’a project.

“The quote in this article, if accurate, is taken totally out of context. The Office of Planning continues to recommend that the entire Petition Area be reverted to the State Agricultural District. This is not due to the area’s suitability for a urban development, but rather due to the Petitioner’s failures to meet conditions and representations made to the LUC.”

The completion widening of Mamalahoa Highway from m.m NHCH to m.m 56 in Waimea has been delayed until early December. There was a waterline in the wrong location. This required the shifting of several dry wells. The county is in the process of acquiring the land easements for these dry wells

I noticed a lot of soil being left on Palani Road from the heavy trucks hauling the excavated material across the roadway to the crusher on Tuesday. So, I e-mailed the engineer for the mid-level road project my concerns. He e-mailed me this response:

“As you observed, we’ve been hauling excavation spoils across the road to the crusher, and given that we have to keep the ground damp to minimize airborne dust, there is the flip-side that this creates mud sticks to the truck tires. We try to wash the road down several times a day – and will certainly do so again by the end of work today.”

There is upcoming construction work scheduled for this area (from Henry Street intersection to Queen Kaahumanu Highway).

“embankment (building up the low spots) through the end of next week, with underground utilities to follow. Retaining wall construction at the fire station to start next week.”

Lastly, Hawaiian Telcom officially exited bankruptcy today. Nevertheless, their post bankruptcy success remains murky.

(Related item: Hawaiian Telcom lobbying the FCC to be qualified for Universal Service Funding)


Hawaii County Council District Six Candidate Poll

Its been nearly a month since I switched from Hawaiian Telcom to Oceanic Time Warner Cable. I have no regrets that I did this. Oceanic’s service has been highly reliable and consistent. In addition, I don’t have to worry about the constant outages (that were caused by the old inside wiring) affecting my old DSL service. The latter was a huge pain to deal with. It wasn’t fun trying to troubleshoot my DSL connection in the middle of the night and getting bitten by mosquitoes.

I’ve created a survey to determine how many people have Oceanic’s Road Runner or Hawaiian Telcom’s DSL services.

(I’ve added an additional selection, other, if you don’t use either ISP)

Damon Tucker inspired me to create a Hawaii County Council District six candidate poll. The future direction of the Hawaii County Council will likely be decided between Brittany Smart and Guy Enriques.

I hope Ka’u residents contemplate these two questions before they cast their vote on November 2, 2010.

Do we want two more years of old boy council political haggling?

or

Do we want to infuse the council with new ideas and youthful exuberance?

I believe the council needs fresh ideas and a change in direction. This is why I’ve endorsed Brittany Smart over Guy Enriques.

WHT published a follow-up article regarding the Becky Leau voting smear. The article is full of excuses from WHT and the Democratic Party. However, I don’t believe this was something innocently done. The Democratic Party felt Becky Leau is a threat to unseat incumbent Denny Coffman. So, they took this underhanded action in an attempt to derail her campaign.

Lastly, the latest Kona Blog survey will be available until October 31, 2010. Mahalo for all your feedback thus far.


Hawaii County Accepted The Villages At Aina Le’a Final EIS

The Hawaii County Planning Department has accepted the final EIS  (the draft EIS is available here, and here)  for The Villages at Aina Le’a project today, according to DW Aina Le’a Development LLC.

I still have concerns about the developer’s financial wherewithal to complete this project. In addition, the State LUC may revert project’s land classification back to agriculture. So, there is still a lot of uncertainty surrounding the future of this development despite this announcement.

Abbey Mayer, the director of the state Office of Planning, appears to have changed his opinion about this project:

From the Star Advertiser:

“The state Office of Planning, which contends the developer already missed an earlier deadline to deliver 16 of the homes by March 31, is “unalterably” opposed to an extension.

“If the commission doesn’t enforce on (DW Aina Le’a), then basically it’ll send a message to everyone that they don’t have to worry about meeting commission conditions,” said Abbey Seth Mayer, director of the Office of Planning, which represents the state before the Land Use Commission.

Mayer’s office is recommending that the property revert to agricultural use.”

From DW Aina Le’a LLC’s press release:

“The Island of Hawaii looks forward to the project’s contributions to the employment of the workers in the area, and the increased financial support provided to all County and State Departments. Abbey Mayer, Director of the Office of State Planning, stated, “I know this is the only major project going on there (the Island of Hawaii). I know this is a good place for a project to happen.”

(Related item: DW Aina Lea project:the numbers don’t add up for approval)

I noticed a slew of formerly deactivated streetlights on Queen Kaahumanu Highway were activated on Saturday. HDCC’s electrical subcontractor must’ve  installed the heavier gauge wiring already (it was scheduled to arrive on October 18, 2010). I hope this latest fix solves this lingering problem from the first phase of the Queen Kaahumanu Highway widening project.

Lastly, HELCO’s electrical subcontractor will be replacing a single utility pole near the intersection of Konalani Street and Palani Road on Wednesday.


The Decline Of The Kona Blog?

I’ve noticed a significant decline in visits to my blog over the past three weeks. This has raised red flags for me once again. I can’t really pinpoint why people have stopped reading. There was a couple days that I wasn’t able to blog due to work. However, that can’t be the sole reason for this decline. It has to be something else.

So, I’ve decided to ask again for reader submitted commentaries to publish. This would allow me to post on the days I don’t or are unable to (Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday is my normal blog posting schedule). In addition, I need news tips on issues this blog covers.

Please take the time to fill out my latest survey. The submitted feedback will help improve this site.


Jeers To Hawaiian Dredging Construction Company

Please complete the Kona Blog survey. The submitted feedback will be used to help improve this site.

I recently met Race Randle, Forest City’s development manager, regarding my concerns about the proposed Kamakana Villages project. Mr. Randle addressed most of my concerns during this meeting. However, I need to take a closer look at the plethora of development exemptions Forest City is seeking (Mr. Randle kindly gave me a complete list of the requested exemptions. Nonetheless, I have been too busy with work to truly read this document).

Queen Liliuokalani Trust has intervened in Forest City/HHFDC’s LUC reclassification petition. QLT likely took this action in attempt to slow Forest City’s proposed project and try to extract similar concessions for their future development plans.

(Related item: VIDEO: Forest City project in Kona at Land Use Commission)

I really dislike most Tea Party candidates. Nevertheless, the recent Democratic Party smear campaign against District six State House candidate Becky Leau is utterly reprehensible.

West Hawaii Today is equally culpable in this matter. They should’ve verified the facts before publishing innuendos in the paper.

Jeers to Hawaiian Dredging Construction Company and Sen. Inouye’s office. HDCC only has made a token effort to clean up their abandoned Kealakehe Parkway baseyard. Nevertheless, their fill material and equipment remain at this site. The HDOT should compel HDCC to vacate this area immediately.

Senator Inouye‘s office has ignored numerous e-mails inquiring about the future funding of the Saddle Road improvement project.

Lastly, it is extremely foolish to curtail improvements to our national infrastructure. China, Europe, etc are making significant improvements to their infrastructure. This will pay dividends down the line for these countries at the expense of the United States.


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