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Wax, I like the way you think. Not that it will ever fall out of the sky, but for $200 million Puna could get a decent clinic with an emergency room, another ambulance with crew, a state of the art library, Railroad as a recreational corridor convertible to evacuation use, and some incubation money for small business and Ag development. Also, it's ironic that the many of same people who complain that the county's only development plan for Puna is "drive to Hilo" support building this road which will likely reinforce that reality.
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200 million to build a 20 mile road? Are roads usually 10 million a mile? I would wanna fact check that before i started making any other assumptions about better use of that money.
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quote:
Originally posted by Chunkster
Wax, I like the way you think. Not that it will ever fall out of the sky, but for $200 million Puna could get a decent clinic with an emergency room, another ambulance with crew, a state of the art library, Railroad as a recreational corridor convertible to evacuation use, and some incubation money for small business and Ag development. Also, it's ironic that the many of same people who complain that the county's only development plan for Puna is "drive to Hilo" support building this road which will likely reinforce that reality.
Exactly. Spot on, Chunkster. JMO.
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The State transportation plan, which puts full responsibility on the County, calls it $175+million. The higher number just because of inflation and such. With no Federal earmarks like we used to get, all the $ from the Feds goes through HDOT. They have flat out shown that they are not in the business of alternate parallel roads, so no $ from the State or Feds.
We need also to look beyond the Keaau to Pahoa corridor. Take into account $159 million for 130 upgrades and $55 million for a major park in Pahoa. What do Mountain View or others on that corridor need? What about Keaau being the only Public School district with no swimming programs because there is no pool. Or those along that corridor who actually have the same traffic and many of the same backups? All HDOT is doing for them is repaving a too narrow road. What about Fern acres and others where lack of connectivity puts them in physical danger should a volcano or fire cut them off and where ambulances will not come to pick them up.
We have a lot of critical needs, do we spend all those $ in one place? Good to see other priorities coming forward.
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This was provided by HDOT:
Federal resource commitment for a road to connect Puna to Hilo may be restricted to what is dedicated to State Route 130, as the Federal Department of Transportation policy is for their participation in providing ‘point-to-point’ infrastructure to be limited.
Two roads in Kona have already proven this out -- Fed $ used in one and not the other, since they are parallel and serve the same populations on both ends.
And, when the $1.5million proposal was in Honolulu, the HDOT refused to recommend it to the Governor.
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I think the best option package would be a 2 lane coastal road it would be scenic.let business build along the 130 corridor.and a Pahoa to my view road.
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i still think a road from volcano to pahoa along the backside of all the subdivisions would be awesome. put it 1/2 mile from the back of all the lots that back up to the forest reserve. make it beautiful, 2 lanes are all that's needed, and a sidewalk on both sides.
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quote:
Originally posted by opihikao
quote:
Originally posted by Chunkster
Wax, I like the way you think. Not that it will ever fall out of the sky, but for $200 million Puna could get a decent clinic with an emergency room, another ambulance with crew, a state of the art library, Railroad as a recreational corridor convertible to evacuation use, and some incubation money for small business and Ag development. Also, it's ironic that the many of same people who complain that the county's only development plan for Puna is "drive to Hilo" support building this road which will likely reinforce that reality.
Exactly. Spot on, Chunkster. JMO.
Chunkster, Opihikao, Wax -- some genuine collective wisdom.
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hey frankie! good question. my answer.. I think the numbers.. ie current population and projected increase all suggest that we need not one but at least a few makai routes into out of and regardless how the current population thinks/feels about it the government is verging on criminal mismanagement for not already building them! imminent domain is a no brainier! and perhaps after their land is taken shipman will grow up and learn how to play fair with others! this question is so old it's pathetic! and it's time the frickin gov pulled a hemmiter already.. ie let the bulldozers roll and forget it already!
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quote:
Originally posted by snorkle
Mr. Walter may be honorable, but he is also short sighted. What if he took a more proactive position and became the hero instead of the villain?
Develop a private toll road from HPP to Hilo that would also act as an emergency escape route.
He has stated in the past that it wouldn't work because it would make his Agricultural leases vulnerable to theft/vandalism. It would be easy with modern technology to control and monitor access to minimize this problem. Install time stamped cameras at each end and maybe close it altogether after hours.
He could include retail/gas/entertainment areas to suppliant the toll income.
There are 10,000 potential customers, with more coming, that would buy toll passes to expedite their commute and make Puna safer.
(Bold by me) With all due respect, snorkel, if that is indeed Mr. Walter's position (bold portion re: leases), his protecting farmers is "short sighted"? I respectfully disagree.
For your information, Mr. Walter is a Shipman, and holds the charge of his family position and commitment to the community. I do not believe he takes that assignment lightly.
To insinuate that he is a "villain" is inaccurate (first bold). There are many people who fit that description in our community. Mr. Walter is not one of them. Until one of us has walked in his shoes, it seems petty to make such statements, given his responsibilities, of which none of us are aware of.
The key is to work with Shipman and the resources that may be available to them due to their holdings. To vilify Shipman (and/or their representatives) is counterproductive to the mutual goals we all strive to achieve.
Shipman has been a pillar of this community for generations as you all know. Longer than most of us have been alive. It it merely a strong suggestion that middle ground is found, and the alternate route for Puna becomes a reality in our lifetime.
Dr. Weatherford, mahalo for your comment. Coming from you, it is indeed humbling. Thank you for your dedication to this effort, among many others, as a resident of Puna. I hold fond aloha for you and your lovely wife. Kiss her for me, please. (Sorry, OT)
JMO.
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