05-12-2009, 04:51 AM
I think that your points are very correct in the here and now. A two lane country road emergency route would indeed serve us well. Today and for some near years. It may take ten or fifteen years to do anything.
It is necessary to consider that someday Puna and all it's subdivisions will be nearly or completely built out. At that point in time the population in Puna Makai will be double that of the whole island today. 250,000 projected. And that is if no new subdivisions are allowed.
That is what my proposal is about. Acquire sufficient right of way to accommodate the growth that is reasonably expected. It is not necessary to build four lanes initially for the parkway I propose. That may come in the future if needed. Today in 2009-2012 the land is cheap and the route is lightly populated.
Fifty years ago the lack of thought and planning left Puna a real mess. All the issues that stress us now were kicked down the road to be dealt with by somebody else - us. We have largest cul-de-sac in the state - maybe the nation. And this is in a earthquake, hurricane and lava zone. A primary goal of the Puna Community Planning efforts was to not leave such a mess for the next generation.
So I surely agree that a two lane country lane is perfect for the present... but on that day when the population exceeds that capacity it will be triply painful to acquire more right of way for more lanes with more eminent domain and relocate more houses to meet needs that we can easily project today. There are a countable number of yet to be built house lots in Puna. No one has suggested a method or manner to prevent these landowners from building someday so the reasonable expectation is that they will build out. We may not be here for that event, but someone will be.
It is necessary to consider that someday Puna and all it's subdivisions will be nearly or completely built out. At that point in time the population in Puna Makai will be double that of the whole island today. 250,000 projected. And that is if no new subdivisions are allowed.
That is what my proposal is about. Acquire sufficient right of way to accommodate the growth that is reasonably expected. It is not necessary to build four lanes initially for the parkway I propose. That may come in the future if needed. Today in 2009-2012 the land is cheap and the route is lightly populated.
Fifty years ago the lack of thought and planning left Puna a real mess. All the issues that stress us now were kicked down the road to be dealt with by somebody else - us. We have largest cul-de-sac in the state - maybe the nation. And this is in a earthquake, hurricane and lava zone. A primary goal of the Puna Community Planning efforts was to not leave such a mess for the next generation.
So I surely agree that a two lane country lane is perfect for the present... but on that day when the population exceeds that capacity it will be triply painful to acquire more right of way for more lanes with more eminent domain and relocate more houses to meet needs that we can easily project today. There are a countable number of yet to be built house lots in Puna. No one has suggested a method or manner to prevent these landowners from building someday so the reasonable expectation is that they will build out. We may not be here for that event, but someone will be.
Assume the best and ask questions.
Punaweb moderator
Punaweb moderator