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Waimea Traffic Issues

While the full benefit of the $10 million County investment in improving the connectivity of Waimea roads will not be achieved until both connector road legs are constructed (following alignments yet to be decided) and roadway capacity east of Kamamalu Rd is increased, $10 million is not nearly enough money to construct all of the improvements at once. So far, the choices that have been mentioned are as follows:

Use the Money to Construct Mamalahoa Hwy-Kawaihae Rd Connector

Proponents of this option offer the following reasons for it to be selected:

Vehicles traveling between North Kohala and Waikoloa/Kona would be diverted around the Lindsey Rd intersection.

Children living in Waiaka and along Kawaihae Rd could be dropped off at Waimea Elementary School and Waimea Intermediate School without their parents having to drive through the Lindsey Rd intersection.

Construction of the Kawaihae Rd Bypass by the State is already slipping behind schedule. The cost of the Kawaihae Rd Bypass is much larger than (possibly twice as large as) the cost of the $52 million Waimea Bypass, and there may never be enough money available to construct it. The Mamalahoa Hwy-Kawaihae Rd Connector may have to serve the function of the Kawaihae Rd Bypass for many years.

County money should not be used to benefit a Parker Ranch development. Parker Ranch is already obligated to build the Waimea Town Center Connector Road with its own funds according to the schedule presented in the County ordinance that granted Parker Ranch the zoning it desired for its Waimea Town Center (Parker Ranch 2020) project. For the curious, according to that ordinance, Parker Ranch must construct the middle section of the connector road (Phase 1, between the extensions of Kaomoloa St. and Pukalani Rd.) "no later than the issuance of building permits for the single family dwellings, or the issuance of final plan approval for the multiple family units, as applicable, for the three hundredth (300^th) residential unit/lot within the RS and/or RM zoned areas." The eastern section of the road (Phase 2) "shall be constructed in conjunction with the development of the immediately surrounding areas, provided further, that Phase 2 of the connector road shall be completed no later than the issuance of the building permit for the single-family dwellings, or the issuance of final plan approval for the multiple family units, as applicable, for the four hundred fiftieth (450^th) residential unit/lot within the RS and/or MS zoned area." The western section of the road (Phase 3) "shall be constructed in conjunction with the development of the immediately surrounding areas, provided further, that Phase 3 of the connector road shall be completed no later than the issuance of final plan approval for the multiple family units, as applicable, for the five hundred seventy-ninth (579^th) residential unit/lot in the first development increment of the Waimea Town Center." Parker Ranch must also "improve within existing rights of way, the portion of Kamamalu Road between its intersection with the connector road and Mamalahoa Highway." Note that the units/lots located within the areas zoned agricultural and commercial (e.g., within the Holoholoku project) do not count under the ordinance. Parker Ranch has developed about 60 units/lots to date.

If County money if used to benefit a Parker Ranch development, a fair deal should be negotiated and a performance bond (containing a firm schedule for repayment) should be in place first.

Proponents, what are the other reasons the County should spend the money on this option?

Use the Money to Construct Waimea Town Center Connector

Proponents of this option offer the following reasons for it to be selected:

Vehicles traveling between the east side of the island and Waikoloa/Kona would be diverted around the Lindsey Rd intersection. This might include trash trucks traveling to and from the west side landfill, but might not include forest products trucks traveling to and from Kawaihae harbor.

An alternative route to and from the hospital/police station/fire station would be provided for residents of the Waikoloa, Lalamilo and Waikii communities.

Children living in the subdivisions on the east side of Waimea could be dropped off at Waimea Elementary School and Waimea Intermediate School without their parents having to drive through the Lindsey Rd intersection.

Parker Ranch could accelerate the build-out of its residential and commercial land in its Waimea Town Center Project, which could increase its net income, at least in the short term. Essentially all of that net income is spent in the Waimea economy by the beneficiaries of the Parker Ranch Foundation Trust: North Hawaii Community Hospitial, Hawaii Preparatory Academy, Parker School Trust Corporation, and the Richard Smart Fund of the Hawaii Community Foundation.

Both of the alignments bring proposed by the County for the Mamalahoa Rd-Kawaihae Rd Connector would adversely affect the Lalamilo farming community and one would also adversely affect Sandalwood residents. The alignments should be rejected and some other solution to the problem should be adopted.

While the State Department of Transportation reports that all affected parties have agreed to construction of the Waimea Bypass, the $52 million cost of the project is still a major hurdle. Construction of the highway in phases over many years could occur. Moreover, a limited access highway is proposed with very few connections to the Waimea area being envisioned. One of the possibly only two connections, the Lindsey Rd extension south of the Waimea Town Center project, must be constructed with County money, money that has not been budgeted. Furthermore, on how many trips can a local resident envision driving out to the airport (the location of the bypass) to get across town? For these reasons, the Waimea Town Center Connector may have to serve the function of the Waimea Bypass for many years to come.

Proponents, what are the other reasons the County should spend the money on this option?

Use the Money to Add More Lanes to Mamalahoa Hwy in Downtown Waimea

Proponents of this option offer the following reasons for it to be selected:

Mamalahoa Hwy should have five lanes all the way through Waimea: four travel lanes (two in each direction) and a center double left turn lane. Bike lanes and sidewalks should be provided on both sides.

Another lane is needed (possibly in both directions) on Mamalahoa Hwy from the hospital to at least the Kamamalu intersection, and probably beyond. A center two-way left turn ("suicide") lane is needed through the east side commercial area. Traffic counts show that, in the absence of alternative routes, additional roadway capacity is needed at least as far east as the DHHL Office, and probably to the subdivisions to the east (e.g., Puunani, Kamuela Heights, etc.), although traffic counts are not available between the DHHL Office and Mud Lane.

The pavement of the County portion of Mamalahoa Hwy from the Kamamalu Rd intersection to the Mud Lane intersection is falling apart, with potholes everywhere. The $500,000 that the County had budgeted to repair this section of road is insufficient because the road base was not constructed properly to begin with. That money may be sufficient to repair the roadway from Don's Pake Kitchen to Mud Lane, but other money is needed to rebuild the roadway within Waimea Town.

Even if both legs of the connector roads are eventually constructed, the County will have to construct major modifications to the Mamalahoa Hwy-Kamamalu Rd intersection to allow traffic traveling on Mamalahoa Hwy to access the east end of the connector roads.

Both of the alignments bring proposed by the County for the Mamalahoa Rd-Kawaihae Rd Connector would adversely affect the Lalamilo farming community and one would also adversely affect Sandalwood residents. The alignments should be rejected and some other solution to the problem should be adopted.

The Kawaihae Rd Bypass and the Waimea Bypass will eventually be constructed, routing much of the through traffic around town. The Lindsey intersection acts as a traffic calming device, reducing driving speeds downtown, which may reduce accidents. Why spend County money on improving traffic circulation within Waimea by building a connector road?

The County should also consider paving Kahilu Rd between Kuhio Village (Hale Alii) and Mana Rd to improve east-west connectivity.

Proponents, what are the other reasons the County should spend the money on this option? What are the other roadway improvements needed down town?

Use the Money to Extend the State Waimea Bypass to the West of Waimea Town

Proponents of this option offer the following rationale:

There is a consensus in the community that construction of the State Waimea Bypass highway and the Kawaihae Rd Bypass highway should proceed as soon as possible. While the State is planning for those bypasses to both terminate at Mamalahoa Hwy near the airport, there is no good reason for such a termination point for the Waimea Bypass. The western end of the Waimea Bypass should be somewhere to the west of Waimea Town, not south of it. The County should use the $10 million to facilitate the construction of a portion of what is now called the Kawaihae Bypass from Mamalahoa Hwy to a point to the west of Waimea Town. A temporary connection could be made to Kawaihae Rd west of Waiaka that would be used until the entire Kawaihae Bypass was constructed, as is the State's plan anyway.

Proponents, what are the other reasons the County should spend the money in this way?

No Action - Ask the County to Spend the Money Elsewhere

Proponents of this option offer the following rationale:

There are much worst traffic problems on the island. Spend the money on fixing them.

Proponents, what are the other reasons the County should spend the money in this way?

Communications