Saddle Road Update

[Aaron S]

The latest phase of Saddle Road opened today between m.m 35-42

http://www.hawaii247.org/2009/08/18/new-...oad-opens/

[macuu222]

This is good news! I have yet to travel on it...but I assume that they did as good a job as the previous sections of new road. Still hoping to see the entire road completed in my life time!

[PaulW]

According to Google Maps, Hilo to KOA is 84.4 miles so you must've averaged about 100mph.
The law doesn't apply to you?

[Devany]

Paul, yes, I had a lead foot. More like 80 mph from where I clocked the start and end of the actual highway.

Aloha au i Hawai`i,
devany

www.myhawaiianhome.blogspot.com
www.eastbaypotters.blogspot.com

[Laughing_girl]

quote:

---

Originally posted by Devany

Paul, yes, I had a lead foot. More like 80 mph from where I clocked the start and end of the actual highway.

Aloha au i Hawai`i,
devany

www.myhawaiianhome.blogspot.com
www.eastbaypotters.blogspot.com

---

Why? It is such a beautiful drive, Slow down, please and enjoy it!

This is the Big Island not I5.

[Devany]

Because I could, that is why! It was fun. I had a long day and a round trip back and forth. Why not? I don't think my car has gone faster than 50 in the last 8 months. I usually am among the slower folks coming and going and letting people in front of me. This time there was nothing but wide open new smooth road, not a single car for miles and moonscape (not what I call a beautiful drive.) The trip home was slower, as there was traffic, at least 6 cars ahead of me and I am not one who passes unless someone is crawling.

Aloha au i Hawai`i,
devany

www.myhawaiianhome.blogspot.com
www.eastbaypotters.blogspot.com

[missydog1]

There is a speed trap there. I know of three people who've gotten stopped, two of whom got hefty tickets, one for upwards of four hundred dollars.
The officer isn't there all the time of course.

I drove it Sunday evening. The new section is great. People are driving it very fast, but the 35 mph speed limit is still up in one part and if you get stopped doing 80 there you are so screwed ... 35 is ridiculous, and no one is going that slow either, so I find it stressful as I am not psychic about whether a cop will be lurking.

The rough road part with the one lane bridges is I think more sketchy than on the old road, because now people get into flying and because the approaches to the one lane bridges have curves, it's hard to see whether someone is coming, and then all of a sudden someone has to stop real fast, and worse, people don't obey the yield signs and try to go by the first one to arrive rule that some one lane bridges use. I'll like it a lot better once that is bypassed.

[Laughing_girl]

Glad to hear that Kathy about the tix! $400 WOW!

Unfortunately now to police the speeding, PD will have to be pulled from other areas. Unless the tix issued cover having someone up there.

[Youser]

Devany, you might have enjoyed your dangerous antics, but please remember: speed kills. You think it's fun to drive at those macho bravado speeds, but after living through the tragedy of 2 family members killed by someone driving too fast because they could, I don't think it is one bit amusing. The Saddle Road is not a freeway, it's a curvey road which I suspect will be the scene of a few accidents if people like you think it's fun to drive at top speed and prove how fast they made it to the Kona airport. 50mph is the maximim speed by law.

People, please be careful and drive responsibly. Everyone thinks they are a good driver and can handle a vehicle, but no one is a good driver when speeding.

[macuu222]

Lighten Up Youser. FYI...Saddle road (Highway 2000) is a state highway just like highway 19 or highway 11. The speed limit on the new section of road from mile 19 to mile 41 is 55MPH not 50PMH. That section is not curvy at all. And it is very easy to go 75 MPH on that stretch of road. Try it sometime.