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Rob,
What do you know about a meeting Thursday night the 17th in Keaau?
My friend got a letter from the DOT about the meeting to discuss the future of the highway between Keaau and Pahoa.
I have a meeting in Kona that night so I can't attend.
But any info you could share about the meeting like where and when might be helpful to those who would like to attend.
"Many dreams come true and some have silver linings, I look for my dreams and a pocket full of gold" Led Zeppelin
If you think health care is expensive now, wait until you see what it cost when it’s free...now here come the taxes.....
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The DOT will be presenting their plans for Hwy. 130 improvements and pretending to take community input.
Keaau Community Center (behind the police station)
Thursday, April 17, 5:30 pm to 8 pm
I expect to be there for some of it.
Assume the best and ask questions.
Punaweb moderator
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Anyone who expects any real discussion or meaningful input from the citizenry will be sorely disappointed. The DOT has long been committed to four-laning that highway, and nothing short of the Feds denying funding appears able to stop it. During one such meeting not too long ago, the DOT representative actually fell asleep during the citizen testimony part of the meeting. But hey, they have to go through the motions, so here we go again. I am personally undecided on the four-laning, feeling there are pros and cons. What I am against is our public servants being able to ignore the significant part of the public who want to point out the cons of this project.
Cheers,
Jerry
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"pretending to listen"
...pretending to 'improve'!
The road building industry, no wilting violets, intend to have roads to build. For decades Oahu has been the cash cow. Maui got a lot more land under highways during 1990's with then-Mayor Linda Lingle.
Puna is as big as Oahu, where the last big land transporation expansion is now begun: Leeward-Waikiki rail line.
For a highway engineer sitting in Honolulu looking at a map, there years of employment and millions of dollars to be carved out of Puna's wilderness with highways on top of highways -- that is what these so-called "improvements" are about.
On the 17th, I will also be in Kona, at the Public Hearing on another 'big idea' -- the proposed Hilo incinerator.
Elizabeth will probably be at the DOT's charade in Keaau.
James Weatherford, Ph.D.
15-1888 Hialoa
Hawaiian Paradise Park
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What, other than a 4 lane Hwy. would help on 130? At least during rush hour, and that's what you plan for! Alternative would be a paralell road makai from bottom of Kahakai through HPP and coastal to Hilo! Good!
Either way, a plan should be made to bury all cable during new road construction!
How about ressurecting a good swath of Stainback to Beyond Volcano!
This wouln't be adding any roads, just refurbishing what we already have!
Gordon J Tilley
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Look out! gtill, we might agree on something 
"Alternative would be a paralell road makai from bottom of Kahakai through HPP and coastal to Hilo!"
(1) Kahakai - HPP -- Macadamia Road -- Stainback Highway -- N Kulani -- Komohana.
Puna needs direct access to mauka Hilo -- university park, ag research center, hi-tech, etc, rather than makai Hilo -- shopping, shopping, shopping, etc.
(2) Investment in economic development infrastructure WITHIN Puna creates economic activity, jobs, services, etc to shift travel demand away from long-distance commuting and toward circulation within Puna.
(3) A serious mass transit system, rather than the pretense now in existence, would also take a slice off the top of the commuter cars.
James Weatherford, Ph.D.
15-1888 Hialoa
Hawaiian Paradise Park
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Are you inferring that road development is going to add jobs to Puna to replace the mobs of people working in Kona to make a reasonable wage! With the cost of electric, weather, the anti business attitude, Puna is going to have to settle with retirees pensions and what little we can beg from Kona, their roads are really bad too, and that costs money in lost commerce! All these roads will do is open up a lot more areas to gentleman farms(no chickens)!
Then the tax rate will rise for all the local families, who will have to leave because of taxes! Legal ethnic cleansing, just like NS Oahu!
Gordon J Tilley
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No.
Investment in ECONOMIC development infrastructure (not 4-lane highways) -- value-added industries, capacity for tele-commuting, and commercial and public services in Puna that are now overly concentrated in Hilo would all provide employment, as well as save Puna families lots of money, and local savings is very important to the local community.
James Weatherford, Ph.D.
15-1888 Hialoa
Hawaiian Paradise Park
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Wow, that sounded far reaching, could you give any examples of what Hilo busiesses would thrive far from the city?
And now I see your highway dislikes, you want us all in mass transit, so as to not clutter the pristine countryside!
Mabe instead of a parallel highway just reinstitute the train, same island wide, let the roads go and build trains, very european!
Gordon J Tilley
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Those are good ideas, gtill.
When gas reaches ten dollars a gallon, mass transit will develop itself.
Why not get a jump on the process and encourage it now instead of just adding more lanes? and lanes? and lanes?
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