stryker brigade

[loffelkopffl]

i thought that yesterdays' news on the courts' decision to halt the stryker brigade deployment to the big island(for now)was good news, and a win for enviromentalists, and anyone who cares about the mountain. chalk one up for the good guys!

[Aaron S]

I'm personally divided about this. On
one hand, I don't want Stryker brigade
based here. But on the flip side, it
would bring 700 million into the state.
On top of it, it would likely assure
federal funding for the western portion
of the Saddle Road re-alignment.

The Army recently purchased 24,000 of
former Parker Ranch land. Which would
contain the re-aligned Saddle Road from
m.m 42 to Malamahoa highway. Thus
probably qualifying it for Defense
Access Road funding.If there is no
Stryker brigade here, all this will be
lost.



Edited by - Aaron S on 10/07/2006 17:20:57

[tada]

Would they have even built the Saddle Road if it wasn't for the Army though? I was stationed at Schofield Barracks 30 years ago and we used to waste 1 month out of the year running around the lava rocks- lava rocks in front of you, lava rocks to the right of you and to the left more lava rocks. I reckon the faster they break up the lava rock the better it's going be.

Others want to make friends- I just want to make money.
James Cramer

[Aaron S]

Yup the Army orginally built the road during WWII to connect both sides of the island.
There is more history about Saddle in this article :

http://starbulletin.com/2004/02/18/news/story7.html

[Kahunascott]

I just did a job on the base last month. There’s not much up there at over 6000’ but lava.

[Aaron S]

quote:

---

I just did a job on the base last month. There’s not much up there at over 6000’ but lava.

---

The base up there is pretty good size, so there is more than lava up there at 6000 feet.

[oink]

I know I'm a minority on this topic and my opinion is irrelevant as far as the outcome, but I liked the road the way it was. A very enjoyable drive if not during peak hours. If it makes it a bit harder to get to Kona, so be it. It also makes it a bit harder for Kona to get to East Hawaii, which is good. I know it will happen eventually but I don't want to rush the change. I like East Hawaii because it is so close to the Hawaii I fell in love with when I lived on Maui 1970 to 1975.

S. FL Islander to be

[Aaron S]

Well I'm ecstatic that they are going to
fix Saddle Road. It is simply unsafe currently. Taking into account there
is a lot of people that work at the
resorts in West Hawaii who live in
East Hawaii.So Saddle is in a dire
need of an upgrade.

Also as far as I understand back
in theHawaiian Kingdom days, they
built theprecursor to this road to
bring the Big Island together. That
will be the end result when this
re-alignment is completed. It will cut
the travel time between Kona and Hilo.
Plus it will reduce the fatalities up
there. I nearly wiped out my truck up
there once before.

Lastly change is inevitable unfortunately.
If we could turn back the clock to when
Kailua-Kona was a sleepy fishing village
I'd do it in a New York Minute. But unfortunately that isn't possible.





Edited by - Aaron S on 10/08/2006 16:10:35

[oink]

quote:

---

Lastly change is inevitable unfortunately.
If we could turn back the clock to when
Kailua-Kona was a sleepy fishing village
I'd do it in a New York Minute. But unfortunately that isn't possible.

---

I agree, but on the other hand, I've found that if you drive the road at it's posted speed it is safe. There does seem to be a lack of traffic enforcement. I don't see the advantage of bringing the two sides together. East Hawaii will lose on that exchange. That is too far for a daily work commute and a waste of resourses. If you work in Kona you should live in Kona.
IMHO, which is probably only worth 1 cent.

Besides, some places are just too beatiful to have a major highway.

S. FL Islander to be

Edited by - oink on 10/08/2006 16:42:08

[Aaron S]

quote:

---

I agree, but on the other hand, I've found that if you drive the road at it's posted speed it is safe. There does seem to be a lack of traffic enforcement. I don't see the advantage of bringing the two sides together.East Hawaii will lose on that exchange. That is too far for a daily work commute and a waste of resourses. If you work in Kona you should live in Kona.

---

Well as a lifelong resident I can
see the benefits of this. Unless we
really want to split Hawaii County
into two counties, as it stands now
the county seat is in Hilo.

There is a lot of people who want the
county split.As West Hawaii produces
70% of the property taxes, but gets
very little in return. Thus aside from kicking out the bums in office, making
it easier to get back and forth between
East and West Hawaii will have a profound
impact.

As for the job aspect, I'm sorry to say
due to the lack of affordable housing in
West Hawaii people will have to commute
long distances until that is mitigated.

You can see drawings of the future highway
here www.saddleroad.com





Edited by - Aaron S on 10/08/2006 17:43:19

Edited by - Aaron S on 10/08/2006 17:44:12