Stalled Big Island Road Projects

[Aaron S]

My recent commentary regarding stalled Big Island Highway projects was published on Civil Beat, Big Island News Now, Hawaii Reporter. A condensed version was published in West Hawaii Today and the Hawaii Tribune-Herald.

http://www.civilbeat.com/voices/2014/05/...s-stalled/

[nana valley]

Aaron, it'd be nice to see Hwy 130 improved to Pahoa sooner rather than 10 years later. Do you travel 130? Houses are selling, houses are being built, baby-boomers are coming here in droves to buy up almost anything for sale. Yet, the highway still remains a commuter nightmare.
Thank you for sharing the article. Would you also become an advocate for Hwy 130? We also have our innumerable accidents and deaths.


He who hoots with owls at night cannot soar with the eagles in the morning.

[Aaron S]

I agree the Highway 130 improvements are needed, but I don't see the full completion of the widening for several years. Lack of funding, acquiring the right of way, archaeological mitigation, etc will be challenges this project will face. In addition, the Federal Highway fund is facing insolvency, which will impact how much funding is available for new projects.

I believe Puna residents should be looking at ways to construct the Puna Makai Alternative Route, as the widening of Highway 130 won't provide traffic relief in the short term.

[kalakoa]

Infrastructure projects will continue to be stalled as long as the residents of Puna continue to disagree as to the future of that district.

On the one hand, PCDP stipulates that all commercial development belongs in "designated commercial zones" -- which means more highways are necessary to travel to those places.

Then there are those who believe "it's the country, and we moved Way Out There to avoid all the congestion and sprawl".

Both opinions are valid, but there's always the third option: "the volcano will erupt and destroy anything, so why bother?"

I find it amusing that our current transportation policies were largely shaped by retired people back in the 1980s and 1990s -- maybe it's time to revisit those decisions?

Problem is, growth keeps happening, and at a rate that far exceeds the pace of a DOT that "thinks in terms of decades".

I can hardly wait to see the real-world impact of the new HMSA building in Keaau...