I took these photographs of the Holu Street Connector project last weekend.
The contractor expected to complete this project by Christmas. However, the relocation of a fire hydrant and the excavation of the rock wall took longer than planned. So, final roadway paving isn’t scheduled to begin until the first or second week in January. Then Bolton has to complete the final roadway striping and signage. The latter work won’t be completed until the end of January.
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.
Bolton Inc. 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.
Margaret Wille posted an update regarding the soon-to-be opened Parker Ranch Connector Road. The interim grant of easement resolution was submitted to the county council on October 20,2010. The council likely will agendize this ordinance for the next meeting on November 4th, 2010.
Parker Ranch has promised to open the roadway after the council has approved this easement legislation.
The Hawaii County Council deferred action on Councilman Hoffmann’s impact fee legislation. Mr. Hoffmann should’ve introduced this legislation after the new council convenes next year. The current council is very developer friendly. So, this legislation currently has a snowballs chance in hell to be approved.
I hope the council addresses this issue soon. The current fair share system is illegal, and unfairly forces the taxpayers to shoulder most of the cost of infrastructure improvements.
For example, Hawaii County wouldn’t have to float a bond to construct the La’aloa Avenue extension if we had an impact fee ordinance in place.
The Queen Kaahumanu Highway extension construction speed limit signs have been taken down. This means the resurfacing between Henry and Lako Street is nearly complete. The HDOT has scheduled a pre-final inspection for October 28th, 2010.
This is the latest update regarding Hawaii County’s lawsuit against 1250 Oceanside Partners and American Motorist Insurance Company.
Lastly, I decided to vote early yesterday. I voted for both Democratic and Republican candidates.
Hokulia recently submitted a subdivision code variance application to Hawaii County.
(Mahalo to the anonymous tipster who sent this document to me)
Private roadways servicing six or more lots have to be built to agricultural standards. The latter obligates Hokulia to pave and fully improve the right of way. However, they want to keep the current roadway shoulder landscaping and grassed swales.
I was deeply concerned about this application. It appeared Hokulia was attempting to reduce the cost of completing the subdivision roadway infrastructure. So, I e-mailed John DeFries to get his perspective:
(Note: I re-wrote in my own words what he submitted to me per his request)
1. The Hawaii County zoning code was amended after the project was initially zoned A-1a. These revisions mandated that the minimum Agriculture District zoning category be no less than five acres (section 25-5-74 of the zoning code amended 1996 and 1999). So, two new designations (RA-1a and FA-1a) were created include Agriculture District classified lands under 5 acres. This is why Hokulia’s variance application has designated the land as RA-1a, not A-1a
2. Hawaii County subdivision code requires privately owned roadways servicing six or more lots to be constructed to agricultural standards. However, the latter still requires the entire right of way be paved and fully improved.
Hokulia wants to maintain the current roadway shoulder landscaping and grassed swales in lieu of making further roadway improvements. This is why they submitted this application.
3. This proposed variance won’t apply to roadways required to be constructed to county standards (i.e Haleki’i Street)
Hawaii County is still reviewing this variance application.
Road and Highway Builders LLC was unable to start full scale paving this week between m.m 11-19 on Saddle Road. I received this update from RHB today:
“We have some fine tuning to still do. We did another test today – should get results in a day or so. The dirt is a little better than MP16 but some of the excavations cuts are deep so they go a little slower. I will let you know on the new test results.”
The opening of the Parker Ranch Connector Road may take a bit longer. The Hawaii County Council has to approve a resolution accepting the public use of this roadway. However, Parker Ranch and Hawaii County haven’t completed all the paperwork yet. So, this legislation likely won’t be agendized for the next council meeting on September 21st.
The Makalei Fire station NEPA EA process is moving along. FEMA will likely make a FONSI declaration early next week. I’m absolutely thrilled by this decision. The next step (after the paperwork is processed) is putting this much-needed public safety project out to bid.
From the project manager:
“I just received a call from Donna Meyer at FEMA and she indicated that she hasn’t received any comments regarding the NEPA EA. She will be writing the FONSI Declaration and it should be completed early next week. It will then need to be routed for the appropriate signature from her headquarters.Once I get a copy of the signed declaration, we are required to publish the FONSI in the local newspapers. I will keep you informed when I receive the FONSI.”
I noticed two additional court filings for Keoki Kai’s lawsuit against Hawaii County.
The litigants in Margaret Wille’s Lalamilo roadway easement reservation lawsuit have submitted additional court filings.
Lastly, Hawaii County gave Bolton Inc. the notice to proceed for the Holu Street Connector Road project yesterday. The clock starts on October 11, 2010. Bolton has 120 working days to complete this project.
Missing Holu Street roadway segment
I’m absolutely ecstatic about this significant milestone. This roadway will benefit residents living in Kona Highlands, Wonderview, Coastview, and Palisades.
(Related item: Holu Street Connector Road History)
The Hawaii County Council should not give a certificate of occupancy to Woodland Center until safety improvements are completed to the Pahoa Bypass/Pahoa Village Road intersection. I’ve recently had a firsthand opportunity to see how dangerous this intersection is. It’s poorly designed and a deathtrap for drivers.
Hawaii County should’ve required that intersection improvements be constructed concurrently with these shopping complexes.
Bill 283 is on the Planning Committee’s Tuesday August 17, 2010 agenda. I skimmed this proposed legislation last night while writing my testimony to the council. The most interesting aspect of this bill was this part:
I’m not so sure these improvements will enhance traffic safety. The whole intersection needs to be re-designed with either a traffic signal or a roundabout. Nonetheless, the HDOT isn’t planning to alleviate this safety issue until FY2012.
How many more traffic accidents and fatalities have to occur until the state, county, and developer make the necessary roadway safety improvements?
The Hawaii County Planning Director Bobby Jean Leithead-Todd seems oblivious to latter. Her comment here really infuriated me. I would rather shop at a store that is easily and safely accessible in Hilo versus one that is not (Woodland Center).
I know this has deviated from normal topics this blog covers. Nevertheless, I’ve decided to make an exception due to the seriousness of this issue.
Tiffany Edwards Hunt has extensively blogged about this travesty. Please check out her blog for more information.
There is another local blogger who claims that she was the impetus behind the county completing Holu Street. This assertion is patently false.
I’ve always wondered why Holu Street was never completed between Kona Wonderview and Kona Highlands. So, I mentioned this to Bob Yanabu, a Hawaii County DPW engineer, in early 2007. He looked at the county roadway maps. These maps showed this roadway was completed. However, I proceeded to take photographs to show Bob this roadway was indeed incomplete. He also made a site visit to confirm the pictures.This literally got the ball rolling. Nevertheless, I spent the next 2.5 years keeping this project alive through the transition between Mayor Kim and Mayor Kenoi administrations.
The opening of Holu/Keokeo Street and the new DPW administration pushed this roadway project back to the forefront. Bob Yanabu relinquished control to the DPW engineering division in January 2010. The county started work on the roadway design at that time.
Hawaii County started soliciting bids for this roadway connector in June. Bolton Inc. was awarded the project in August. I called up Bob Yanabu the next day and thanked him for all his hard work. This roadway would’ve never been put out to bid if he wasn’t involved.
Lastly, the anti-Mauna Kea astronomy activists didn’t contest the Thirty Meter Telescope‘s FEIS in court. I’m absolutely ecstatic about this turn of events. However, the next obstacle for the TMT project is obtaining a conservation district use permit. These activists will have another opportunity to derail the TMT project during that process
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