Puna Parkway Proposal

[Rob Tucker]

A draft proposal for a new route from Hilo to Pahoa is available online for review. It was prepared by me and is
in PDF format at:

http://www.hawaiiislandplan.com/punawgdrafts.asp

Feel free to love it, hate it, call your lawyer, critique it, second guess it, improve it or use it to light the pilot light on your water heater.

It is only a proposal. I certainly do not have the power or wherewithal to create such a parkway. But IF it was decided a route was needed - this is how I would suggest it be done.

Aloha

[wax]

While there is a need for more transit out of lower Puna, there are some significant problems with this route. In general drawing lines through the Shipman Lands looks simple and on all of the maps the land looks the same. However, there are differences in where such a route would go. In this case the line goes through some very good and productive agricultural lands and would be quite disruptive. There is a caution here - care needs to be taken to know what is "underneath" those lines. WE also need to consider other plans for that central part of Keaau. Finally, we should give consideration to whether increasing road or investing in transit alternatives makes the most sense long term.

[peteadams]

At this point in the discussion the exact route of PMAR is undoubtedly very flexible. In Rob's proposal it mostly looks like a straight line out of HPP. If that route encrouches on good ag lands that's a bad option. I would hope this could be corrected. Perhaps arcing east out of HPP toward the views of the shoreline would support the parkway theme and other development. Or directed toward the far less usable pahoehoe lands, whatever make the most sense.

The most fundamental requirement for any alternative routes, in my opinion, is removing traffic from 130. Alternative routes that put HPP or Orchidland traffic on to 130 only to take it off closer to Hilo are not helpful. So the change I would suggest for Rob's plan is to put a road from Orchidland to the parkway with a light controlled intersection at Orchidland Drive providing access in order to channel traffic on to the alternate route.

[Rob Tucker]

I believe that in my proposal I said that the Hilo end of the parkway would need to be addressed or defined by Hilo. The whole route will be subject to lots of input inch by inch - as it should be.

[Kapohocat]

any thought to including the area in WaaWaa from 4 corners to HB?

Catherine Dumond
Blue Water Project Management
808 217-7578
http://bluewaterpm.125mb.com/index.html
"We help make building your dream home a reality"

[Rob Tucker]

Hi Cat,

No, within my proposal there was an intention to specifically not intrude any closer to Kopoho or the eastern and southern areas. There is a desire for these parts of Puna to remain as pristine as possible.

It may be, however, that the Transportation WG made some recommendation for the area. I haven't been successful in gaining any insight into the Trans WG recommendations yet.