Parker Ranch Agrees to Construct Connector Road - this document describes a Hawaii County Planning Department Board of Appeals settlement in which Parker Ranch agrees to construct Phase 1 of the Parker Ranch Connector Road by 2010. Earlier this year, Parker Ranch agreed to construct Phase 3 of the Parker Ranch Connector Road by 2009. An 8-foot wide meandering path will be provided in a 20-wide linear park along the north side of the connector road.
Introduction
The Waimea Town Center connector roads include the following:
The east-west Waimea Town Center Connector Road (which will include a linear park, bikeway and pedestrian pathway) will extend from Mamalahoa Highway in the vicinity of the Vacuum Cooling Plant on the west to Kamamalu Road or Mamaholahoa Highway in the vicinity of the Waimea Civic Center on the east. Parker Ranch has agreed to construct this road in accordance with the schedule in the zoning ordinance for its Waimea Town Center project (aka the Parker Ranch 2020 Plan). The General Plan currently calls for the west end of this road to match up with the east end of the Mamalahoa Hwy-Kawaihae Rd Connector Project, to be constructed by Hawaii County.
Waimea Town Center Connector Road aka Parker Ranch Connector Road
According to a September 2004 estimate by a Parker Ranch engineering consultant, Akinaka & Assoc, the estimated cost of the east-west Waimea Town Center Connector Road is as follows:
| Phase |
Description |
Cost |
| Phase 1 |
Kaomoloa Street to Pukalani Road |
$3.0 million |
| Phase 2 |
Pukalani Road to Kamamalu Street
(includes a bridge) |
$6.2 million |
| Phase 3 |
Mamalahoa Hwy to Kaomoloa Street |
$3.9 million |
| Total |
|
$13.1 million |
Energy and asphalt prices have increased significantly since the above cost estimate was developed. It is likely that the road will cost much more today.
While the County zoning ordinance establishes a schedule based on when dwelling units building permits are issued for units in residential areas zoned RS and RM, it also states that each phase of the road must be built "in conjunction with the development of the immediately surrounding areas." The meaning of this condition in the zoning ordinance was the source of much debate:
When Parker Ranch applied for subdivision approval of the third phase of Luala'i subdivision, the County Planning Department included a condition in its preliminary plat approval letter providing that if and when Parker Ranch builds the third phase of Luala'i subdivision, a portion of the connector road must be constructed:
Letter from Parker Ranch Requesting Amendment of Original 1992 Parker Ranch 2020 County Zoning Ordinance, April, 1996 - explains Richard Smart's intent to benefit the residents of Waimea and the character of the development Parker Ranch was proposing for its Waimea Town Center project. The letter also explains when the Waimea Town Center Connector Road (aka the Parker Ranch Connector Road) will be constructed. The portion of the letter from Parker Ranch that is underlined in the Planning Department files (see above link) is as follows:
"An amendment is also being requested such that the connector roadway between Kamamalu Street and Mamalahoa Highway (formerly referred to as the town center arterial road) be provided concurrently with the development of the areas immediately adjacent to the road. This will provide for the incremental development of the Town Center Area and the provision of infrastructure commensurate with the impacts of the project."
Parker Ranch has indicated that, if the County's Waimea Traffic Circulation Study consultants concluded that constructing (all or portions of) the Waimea Town Center Connector Road made sense now, Parker Ranch would be willing to discuss allowing the County to build it now, with Parker Ranch would reimbursing the County at some future date, when Parker Ranch would otherwise be obligated to construct the connector.
As an alternative, Parker Ranch has indicated that, if the County wanted to construct a temporary road within the same alignment, with a "ford" instead of a bridge at the Kamuela Stream drain channel, Parker Ranch would be receptive to discussing that option also. This could possibly be a daytime use road, that would be locked at other hours. It would eliminate the choke point that results from Mamalahoa Hwy being the only way for traffic to move from east to west and west to east in the vicinity of the hospital and civic center.
Lindsey Road Extension
The north-south Lindsey Road extension will extend Lindsey Road from the vicinity of the YMCA Town Hall to the proposed Waimea Bypass. Parker Ranch has agreed to construct the portion of the road within its Waimea Town Center project. It appears that Hawaii County would be responsible for constructing the remainder of the road (to its intersection with the proposed Waimea Bypass), but funding for this portion of the road has apparently not been budgeted yet. According to the Introduction to Parker Ranch 2020 Plan by Richard Smart, the plan calls for the following: "redesign and realign Lindsey Road as a 'community street,' not simply as a highway connector. It will be a curved tree-lined street designed to discourage fast through traffic, and will serve as the main entry to the primary commercial center. It will connect by secondary arterials that will provide alternative routes to the medical center, police and fire stations, senior citizens center, the expanded Waimea School campus. . . . The interior circulation system will be designed to function with or without the proposed (Waimea) bypass highway. The system will consist of slow speed roads, pedestrian walks, trees and open space."
Other Connector Roads
In addition to roadways within the Waimea Town Center subdivisions, Parker Ranch has already constructed the northern segment of Pukalani Rd. The State Department of Education will have to be convinced to construct an east-west road (now called Road "A") to connect Lindsey Street to the Kaomoloa Rd. extension.
Waimea Town Center Road Standards
Parker Ranch can be reached at 808-885-7311.
The Hawaii County Department of Public Works can be reached here.
What Do Existing Plans Say?
The Town Center connector roads are called for by a number of local plans:
The 2005 County General Plan includes the following specific course of action: "To relieve traffic congestion through Waimea town, implement construction of a) Parker Ranch’s connector road from Kamamalu Street to Mamalahoa Highway; and b) the County’s extension of this road, between Mamalahoa Highway and Kawaihae Road in the vicinity of the Waimea solid waste transfer station."
Amendments to the General Plan proposed in October, 2005, by Chris Yuen, Planning Director (3.5 MB) would have removed the above course of action from the General Plan. This change would have had the effect of removing from the law a requirement that an alternative route be provided around both of Waimea's choke points (the Lindsey Rd intersection choke point and the Mamalahoa Hwy choke point at the Hospital-Civic Center). It would have also reduced the cost to Parker Ranch of building the east end of the Waimea Town Center Connector Road by about $2 million because Parker Ranch would no longer be required by law to build a bridge over the drain channel it constructed. This amendment was withdrawn by the Planning Director and was not approved by the County Council.
Town Center Connector Roads
Current Issues
The following issues have been mentioned related to the Town Center Connector Roads:
Current plans call for the Mamalahoa Hwy-Kawaihae Rd Connector Project to connect with the Waimea Town Center Connector Road. Is it feasible for the Mamalahoa Hwy-Kawaihae Rd Connector Project to include a linear park, bikeway and pedestrian pathway to connect the Waimea Trails and Greenways project to the Waimea Town Center linear park, bikeway and pedestrian pathway being constructed by Parker Ranch? Is it feasible for an equestrian trail be included to connect the Waimea Trails and Greenways project equestrian trail to the Waimea Town Center equestrian trail being constructed by Parker Ranch?
Regardless of the alignment that is selected, how will the safety of children playing along or walking or riding a bike to school along the connector roads be ensured?
How can tourists be directed to dining and shopping opportunities down town at both ends of the connector roads? How can they be directed to the Historic Homes?
Both before and after the Waimea Bypass is constructed but before the Kawaihae Bypass is constructed, how can trucks be safely routed through town?
How can emergency vehicles be safely routed to the hospital, fire department and police station?
Will the Parker Ranch Connector road cross the drain channel constructed by Parker Ranch to divert flood waters away from its Waimea Town Center project? A photograph of the crossing site is available here. If the Parker Ranch Connector Road connects directly to Mamalaohoa Highway (by turning north through the soccer fields), will a connection to Kamamalu Street be maintained (though the Civic Center parking lot)?
How will the road and trails connect to roads and trails that will directly provide access the planned 22+ acre district park planned to be located the south of the Lalamilo Farm Lots and west of the land Parker Ranch donated to Parker School Trust Corporation?
Should the Mamalahoa Hwy-Kawaihae Rd Connector Project portion of the connector road and the Waimea Town Center portion of the connector road have the same name? What should that name be? Why is the name "Alaohia" used on some maps?
How can the roadway be screened from homes in the Luala'i subdivision, Holoholo Ku condominums and Waimea Senior Center?
How can noise from truck acceleration and deceleration at intersections near residences (e.g., near the Waimea Senior Center and Holoholo Ku) be mitigated?
How will the horse trail along the drain channel cross the road?
What are the design options for the intersection of the connector roads and Mamalahoa Highway? Arre modern roundabouts an option?
What are the design options for the intersection of the Parker Ranch Connector Road and Kamamalu Street or Mamalahoa Hwy at the Civic Center?
Communications
The following communications have been received that identify issues to be considered in planning for the project:
Parker Ranch Agrees to Construct Connector Road - this document describes a Hawaii County Planning Department Board of Appeals settlement in which Parker Ranch agrees to construct Phase 1 of the Parker Ranch Connector Road by 2010. Earlier this year, Parker Ranch agreed to construct Phase 3 of the Parker Ranch Connector Road by 2009. An 8-foot wide meandering path will be provided in a 20-wide linear park along the north side of the connector road.
If you are aware of other issues, please communicate them to us. We want everyone to be heard.
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