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Looks like the Pahoa Roundabout is back on schedule and also word of a light at Shower in 2016. If the lava don't stop us, nothing will. Read more below...
From Joy SanBuenaventura's facebook page yesterday:
"My number one platform when I campaigned last year was to improve traffic by improving Hwy 130 and/or getting a bypass. So far I've succeeded in expediting the shoulder lane conversion -which was already under construction AND I got money for a keaau bypass.
Last week, I found out that the 10-year STIP (Dept of Transportatin's holy grail - State Transportation Improvement Projects) FINALLY has the 4-lane Highway 130 expansion on its books and a traffic light at Shower Drive will begin construction in 2016. ALSO: I just got word today from Sal Panem that the Pahoa roundabout which was stalled because of the lava flow is on track for construction to begin end of summer/early fall."
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Edited to add emphasis
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This is Phase II from the plan. The use of the term 4-lane shouldn't be interpreted as 4 full lanes. The shoulder lane is being counted as the additional lane. This phase takes the shoulder widening all the way to Pahoa, stoplights starting with Shower. There are several more down the stretch. Phase II looks like it will be at least 3 years, based on how long it took the Phase I shoulder work. It's amazing how much traffic congestion drops off when school is out. Right now, a lane addition project seems unneeded. That all changes in the fall. Good time to not need to be anywhere.
"Aloha also means goodbye. Aloha!"
*Japanese tourist on bus through Pahoa, "Is this still America?*
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The use of the term 4-lane shouldn't be interpreted as 4 full lanes.
"Speeds of UP TO 7MBps"
"Oil change STARTING AT $39"
Phase II looks like it will be at least 3 years
Overlapping the roundabout, then, especially after the delays "due to weather" (nobody knew it would rain during the project).
Good time to not need to be anywhere.
The perfect slogan for Puna.
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traffic light at Shower Drive
Now that we've come to the conclusion that the 1-2 mile traffic backup all these years was due to the stoplight at Keaau High School, and the merge at Shower Drive is working perfectly with rarely a delay - - time to install a stop light there so Puna commuters can idle in line and needlessly burn gas again for 30 minutes every afternoon.
If the DOT puts in a light at Shower Dr, Highway 130 should flash green from 3 PM - 6 PM. If you have to turn left out of Shower drive during those hours, don't.
"I'm at that stage in life where I stay out of discussions. Even if you say 1+1=5, you're right - have fun." - Keanu Reeves
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AND I got money for a Keaau bypass
I'm confused, doesn't Keaau already have a bypass?
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I call B.S. on Joy SanBuenaventura claiming to have "expedited" the shoulder conversion. Does she think we don't know that nothing expedites anything with the DOT? (I'm only being a teeny bit facetious here. Like most politicians, she's probably counting on us to be stupid.)
I'm pretty sure that "and/or getting a bypass" refers to her support for PMAR, something that got nowhere in the legislative session.
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Why Shower? What don't I know? Not seeing the logic, hasn't Kaloli had more accidents? Seems Paradise is more logical for optimal safety and maintaining the flow of traffic.
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A lot of HPP Hilo-bound traffic crosses (or could) to Shower. This keeps them off 130 across the top of HPP and lessens the pressure on DOT to get busy on that stretch of 130.
Allen
Finally in HPP
Allen
Finally in HPP
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Getting people off 130 and into HPP will help ease the general 130 traffic. Lights at all major intersections is the way to go, first Shower and eventually we will get down to Post Office road (in about 20 years).
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The official DOT name for it is Keeau-Pahoa Road Project. Good old DOT hasn't updated their contracted-out site for it since 2011 but it has the map MP2.0 to MP11.5. The Project has 3 phases, phase 1 is just being completed, phase 2 is about to commence, phase 3, yeah maybe 20 years. Shower is just the first intersection heading south. There is a more detailed document around. Calling it the Keaau bypass shows where the disconnect between local politicians and DOT begins.
http://www.keaau-pahoa.com/
"Aloha also means goodbye. Aloha!"
*Japanese tourist on bus through Pahoa, "Is this still America?*
