Saddle Road Project Updates

[Aaron S]

The Central Federal Lands Highway Division of the FHWA, who is overseeing the Saddle Road project, has directed everyone involved in the current Saddle Road phase to refer all public inquiries to the Hawaii DOT Public Information Ofice. I won't have access to *any* project updates as a result of this decision.

[Aaron S]

I stumbled upon this posting on HPR last night:

http://hpr2.org/post/construction-continues-saddle-road

The CFLHD apparently referred all public inquiries to the HiDOT public affairs office starting about a month ago. However, I stumbled upon this webpage where Mike Will, the CFLHD project manager, is being interviewed about two weeks ago. Something doesn't sound right.

[Midnight Rambler]

What doesn't sound right is that she refers to the wrong section. She says "the section between mile marker 14 and PTA will open in August", when that has been open for what, a year or more? The whole conversation is clearly referring to the section from PTA to Highway 19.

[Aaron S]

The interview with Mike Will was done on May 22, 2013, so she was referring to the ongoing 6(7) phase between m.m 42 on Saddle Road and m.m 14 on Mamalahoa Highway.

The Saddle Road Extension is still undergoing environmental and design review. Construction on this phase between Highway 190 and Queen Kaahumanu Highway probably won't begin until 2017 at the earliest.

[Royall]

Aaron, I didn't know there was going to be more to Saddle road beyond highway 190. Is there a map that shows the propose extension? Is this something that is to take some of the pressure off of 190?

Thanks for all the updates in the past!! Always looked forward to them.

Royall

Hale O Na Mea Pa`ani

[Aaron S]

There was a EA/EISPN public meeting almost a year ago in Waikoloa regarding this proposed highway.

http://www.hawaii247.com/2012/06/15/sadd...-update-2/

This new highway was on hold until the 6(7) phase design and environmental clearances were completed. The 6(7) phase had to be relocated farther south, if you recall, due to the US Army's purchase of 30,000 acres of Parker Ranch land.

The intended purpose of this highway is to relieve the burden of cross island traffic using Waikoloa Road.

[Royall]

Thanks Aaron. I've always tried to stat away from that highway as there is so much backtracking when heading to Saddle. Wish they wasn't so slow about getting the project going and completed!

Royall

Hale O Na Mea Pa`ani

[macuu222]

Looks like the new portion of Saddle Road from mile 42 to mile 14 of Mamalahoa Highway
will be open starting September 7th. Makes getting to Kona about 20 minutes quicker!


http://hawaiitribune-herald.com/sections...ept-7.html

[nana valley]

And safer

He who hoots with owls at night cannot soar with the eagles in the morning.

[Peter Easterling]

This is great news. Goodfellow Bros. finished months ahead of schedule and within budget. I hope they are rewarded with more work. Maybe the traffic circle project could be done right, within budget and on time.

Meanwhile, COSTCO, here we come.