(12-07-2022, 08:53 AM)TomK Wrote: Can you point to the part in your link about not building the DKI slightly north and uphill of its current position at the old Mauna Kea Access Road junction?
This has been asked and answered multiple times already (it helps to actually read the thread before posting)
(12-03-2022, 07:43 AM)ironyak Wrote: But when the road was put it, it was placed on the 1935-6 flow because that was easier for making a road and when pavement was added and the highway expanded the road's path was used because it too was the most efficient option at the time (especially given the legal landscape of the area)
(12-06-2022, 05:58 PM)AaronS Wrote: The reasons why the DKI was constructed over the 1843 and 1935 lava flows by Puu Huluhulu is two fold. They wanted to keep the alignment within the existing right of way so HHL homesteads wouldn't be impacted and lessen the environmental impact. The latter is largely the reason most of the rest of the highway followed the existing alignment.
These answers mirror the 1999 Saddle Road Final EIS summary for Section III which includes this section of road (pdf - page 53)
"No reasonable or prudent alternatives to the existing road corridor (EX-3) were identified within Section III because of the need to minimize impacts to adjacent environments. [...] No other alternatives were available which would provide such minimal resource impacts [as the existing ROW], therefore all alternatives on relocated corridors were immediately discounted." If you want a better look at the possible alternatives rejected, you'll need the Draft EIS from 1997 (not currently online?).
As already mapped out, the entire length of Saddle Road sits in Mauna Loa inundation zones, with the eastern portions being directly on recent flows from 1843, 1935-6, 1899, 1855, and 1880-1 from top to bottom. Combined with the DHHL status of the land to the north and north-east of the road at the MK Access Road intersection such as TMK 380010070000, please explain where is this safe path you think "some genius road engineer" missed so that it is not "in a place where the next Mauna Loa eruption on the NE rift zone will cut the highway off"?
It's pretty rich for anyone in Puna to just ignore the money, history, politics, and property involved in the situation and question why someone would choose to build where lava tends to flow. Talk about casting pearls before swine calling the kettle black from a glass house, or something
(12-07-2022, 11:20 PM)MyManao Wrote: the flow is going to..
Today as I was clicking through the general suite of data points, I started to sense something fundamental has changed, suggesting maybe the eruption is winding down, or, at least changing? ...
USGS is also reporting "New breakout upslope to east is robbing #lava from main channel ~2.8 mi behind front of main flow."
which can be seen on today's map making the advance towards Saddle slowing to below 20ft per hour.
Slower/lower flow rate causing the channel to cool and back-up & overflow? But where is the drop in tremor? Have to keep watching to find out I guess, but the live cam is offline for now; however, new links should post here according to USGS.
https://www.youtube.com/usgs/live
Edit: Another new cam now at the flow front gives an idea as to the conditions along the Old Saddle lava viewing route.
https://www.usgs.gov/observatories/hvo/m...-lava-flow