Tag Archives: Keahuolu Interpretive Center
Palani Road Utility Pole Relocation Update
The future Keahuolu Interpretive Center is now scheduled to be completed by the end of 2011. Nan Inc. originally planned to complete this facility by late summer.
HELCO’s pole relocation project alongside Palani Road is progressing, according to the manager overseeing the Ane Keohokalole Highway project.
“Update on the Palani pole line – the HELCO field crew have stepped up their effort not to delay the current work schedule. Crews have been working extended hours and overtime to recover time lost due to thunderstorms (bad for working on power lines and around steel poles), and a slew of emergency repair responses resulting from the recent heavy rains. They will again be working tomorrow (Saturday) to remove the conductors from the old wooden pole line, and believe they will be able to finish the remainder of their work, on schedule, by the end of the month.”
Nan Inc. asked the county to reconsider their traffic control plans for the Palani Road utility conduit trenching. I’ll post update when Nan or the county notifies me.
Related item: HELCO’s Response To State Consumer Advocate’s Information Request
I’ve wondered why several Asian investors started receiving a return on their investment in The Villages at Aina Le’a development. Steve Dunnington, one of the managing partners of DW Aina Le’a Development LLC, informed me these were interim payments. However, it doesn’t make any sense why these individuals get paid while there is a slew of local contractors who haven’t been fully compensated yet.
Lastly, I recently spoke to Rep. Cindy Evans. She informed me HR204 received a slew of supportive testimony (State House resolution supporting The Villages at Aina Le’a project). However, they weren’t officially posted because the resolution failed to get a hearing.
CTS Earthmoving Starting Kamaka’eha Avenue Sewer Line Project
CTS Earthmoving Inc. is scheduled to start digging a trench along the northbound lane of Kamaka’eha Avenue starting tomorrow. CTS is extending existing sewer line from Big KMart to the future Keahuolu Interpretive Center south of Macys.
Solar powered traffic control devices will manage traffic flow in this area until work is completed in mid-November. However, the contractor recommends motorists use Makaala Blvd from Queen Kaahumanu Hwy as an alternate route.
CTS is planning to resurface the northbound lane on Kamaka’eha Ave. and the Henry Street/Palani Road intersection at the same time in mid 2011.
The widening of Mamalahoa Highway between NHCH and m.m 56 in Waimea is still on track. This project is estimated to be completed by October 31, 2010.
The Parker Ranch Connector Road public use resolution hasn’t been agendized for the upcoming Hawaii County Council meeting on October 6th, 2010. This roadway should be opened to the public already. However, Parker Ranch and Hawaii County don’t seem inclined to do this. I’m willing to bet it won’t be opened until early 2011 at this rate.
Grace Pacific has completed the last contract item for the Queen Kaahumanu Highway resurfacing project (between Henry and Lako Street). The HDOT is planning to schedule a pre-final inspection within the next couple weeks. Grace Pacific has to fix any issues uncovered during this inspection before the work is accepted by the HDOT.
The remaining equipment at HDCC’s Kealakehe Parkway base yard is needed to dismantle the on site crusher. I hope to get a clearer idea when HDCC plans to vacate this area within the next couple days.
I noticed several Queen Kaahumanu Highway streetlights were activated last night on my way to Home Depot. This is definitely positive sign. I hope the electrical subcontractor’s latest fix solves the problem.
Margaret Wille updated (and here) the status of the Lalamilo roadway reservation easement litigation.
Lastly, Hawaii County Council District six candidate Brittany Smart is the first candidate to accept an invitation to Big Island Chronicle’s introductory “Hot Seat” forum.
A Current Moku Loa Group Board Member Expresses His Opposition To The Sierra Club’s New Mauna Kea Policy
Road and Highway Builders LLC won’t start test paving until Thursday or Friday now. RHB was originally planning to start paving tomorrow. This latest delay is mostly due to the recent brush fire.
The Parker Ranch Connector Road has been completed as of last Thursday. In addition, the Hawaii County DPW conducted the final inspection of the roadway on that same day. The soon to be opened thoroughfare passed this inspection. So, why isn’t the Parker Ranch Connector Road opened already? Margaret Wille answers this question here.
“The remaining holdup — is that to complete the road to be open to the public, not just the roadway must be finished, but also the associated “paper work”. Until the final dedication to the County is completed, an interim Grant of Easement and Indemnification Agreement must be agreed to and approved by the County Council. It is too late to get this document on the agenda for the Council meetings on September 8 or 9, so it will first go to Council later in September, and then will require one or two more readings. So you do the math..”
The council should fast track the approval of the interim Grant of Easement and Indemnification Agreement. This much-needed roadway will be opened sooner if the council does this. However, it will likely take the council about a month or so to approve this agreement as it stands now. So, the roadway won’t be publicly accessible in the meantime.
I think Leroy Laney’s statements about the health of the Big Island’s construction industry were a bit too rosy. There may be an upswing of new projects. However, this doesn’t lessen the fact that 95% of the unionized carpenters in Kona (and 67% of the carpenters in Hilo) are out of work.
Big Island video News video taped the recent Kona governor candidate forum. Mufi Hannemann and Neil Abercrombie are too indebted to the public worker unions. They’ll likely raise taxes to pay for union pay increases. So, I’m leaning towards voting for Duke Aiona for governor. I can’t afford to pay anymore taxes.
This is latest construction update regarding the future Keahuolu Interpretive Center:
“The contractor has been working on grading the fence line around the historic preserve area, to the south of the IC building. Pending approvals, site work at the IC building and within Kamaka’eha Avenue are scheduled to commence in mid-September.”
The widening of Mamalahoa Highway between NHCH and m.m 56 is still scheduled to be completed in October 2010.
I received this update regarding the La’aloa Avenue Extension today. The project consultant should be completed with the roadway design by early 2011.
Lastly, the vice chairman of the Sierra Club, Moku Loa Group submitted this letter the editor critical of the group’s new Mauna Kea preservation and use policy. The Sierra Club’s hard line against further telescope development on Mauna Kea seems to be weakening.
Matt Binder, a former Moku Loa executive board member, submitted this recent commentary also criticizing the Sierra Club’s opposition to Mauna Kea astronomy development.
Ane Keohokalole Highway Update
I e-mailed Susan McGeachy the latest update regarding the future Makalei Fire Station yesterday. However, I noticed she complained to WHT editor Reed Flickinger about this update today. So, I regret sending this e-mail to her.
Susan’s complaints are unwarranted. The county has secured 4.1 million dollars in federal stimulus funding to pay for part of the construction costs for this facility. Nonetheless, the federal government imposed conditions on this funding before its dispersed. Hawaii County has to complete a federal NEPA EA before the county can solicit bids.
The good news is the completed State of Hawaii EA contained most of the information needed for the federal NEPA EA. Nevertheless, the HCFD’s consultant had to compile this information into a new document. The latter takes time.
(Related items: Federal Environmental Documents and Public Notices
Susan McGeachy Is Seriously Misinformed About The Ane Keohokalole Highway Project)
I spoke to Queen Liliuokalani Trust regarding my concerns about the future Keahuolu Interpretive Center. QLT is planning to update their website by the end of this year. This update includes information about this new facility.
The Hawaii County DPW has posted a fairly recent list of completed, under construction, and proposed Kona road projects.
I received this update from the project engineer regarding the Ane Keohokalole Highway project:
“By the way, we’ll be doing some grubbing off the South side shoulder of Palani tomorrow and Friday – but expect no lane closures. Next week Friday we plan to cut down the bushes between Ane Keohokalole Hwy and Palani Road – thereby creating the beginning of the connection between those two roads. That will likely make the project much more visible to the community.”
Lastly, I completely agree with Tiffany Edwards Hunt’s opinion of Councilman Ikeda. He didn’t even bother to return my phone call regarding the 112 million dollar county bond float in 2008. I was concerned the Makalei Fire Station project wouldn’t get funded due to political games played by certain council members.
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