Posts: 11,097
Threads: 756
Joined: Sep 2012
From Joy San Buenaventura's Newsletter, here are the latest updates for Highway 130 construction projects:
May 2016 - Pahoa Roundabout will open
Year 2016 - Shower Drive stop and go light construction will begin
Year 2017 - Keaau to Shower Drive shoulder conversion fixes
Year 2019 - 4 lane expansion construction
"How we spend our days is, of course, how we spend our lives." -Annie Dillard
"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
Posts: 1,858
Threads: 46
Joined: Apr 2015
Posts: 1,930
Threads: 71
Joined: Jun 2012
The official name is Kea'au-Pahoa Bypass Project, since 1998. This has been subdivided into three phases, called Shoulder Expansion projects. Phase I has been completed, Phase II is about to commence. It appears the new estimate for Phase III is 2019.
http://www.keaau-pahoa.com/
This 10 miles of highway may take 20 years to complete. Yep, HA-HA!
"Aloha also means goodbye. Aloha!"
*Japanese tourist on bus through Pahoa, "Is this still America?*
Posts: 14,124
Threads: 424
Joined: Aug 2012
It appears the new estimate for Phase III is 2019.
Subject to revision based on funding and/or volcanic activity...
Posts: 216
Threads: 47
Joined: May 2012
Green Day had it right. "Do you have the time, to listen to me whine." My wife and I are lifelong Hawaii residents, me from Oahu, she raised on Maui, both of us in Puna for 4 years. We noticed immediately that Big Island driving is a pleasure compared to the frantic congestion on The Gathering Place. There are certainly problem areas (like opinions, we all have several). I exit HPP on Paradise and the stop sign at 130 is taken out every few months while turning right is tough with no acceleration lane whatsoever. Nonetheless we have been favorably impressed by the highway work. Same with the roundabout. The workers are there, rain or shine, often working late in the evening. Keep up the work, construction folks! One suggestion: try paint the yellow center lines at least sort of straight. We certainly look forward to the roundabout. It will be very easy to figure out and I'll bet no one will miss the dangerous yield/stop/go/crash intersection. The piles of broken auto glass, however, were attractive in the evening light at times.
Posts: 2,151
Threads: 73
Joined: Mar 2007
The company and crew on the roundabout construction have been remarkable by Big Island standards, plus they have enjoyed exceptionally good weather. It's generally not so easy for us or them.
Posts: 1,070
Threads: 9
Joined: Mar 2014
Posts: 1,513
Threads: 18
Joined: Oct 2014
quote:
Originally posted by Peter Easterling
Green Day had it right. "Do you have the time, to listen to me whine." My wife and I are lifelong Hawaii residents, me from Oahu, she raised on Maui, both of us in Puna for 4 years. We noticed immediately that Big Island driving is a pleasure compared to the frantic congestion on The Gathering Place. There are certainly problem areas (like opinions, we all have several). I exit HPP on Paradise and the stop sign at 130 is taken out every few months while turning right is tough with no acceleration lane whatsoever. Nonetheless we have been favorably impressed by the highway work. Same with the roundabout. The workers are there, rain or shine, often working late in the evening. Keep up the work, construction folks! One suggestion: try paint the yellow center lines at least sort of straight. We certainly look forward to the roundabout. It will be very easy to figure out and I'll bet no one will miss the dangerous yield/stop/go/crash intersection. The piles of broken auto glass, however, were attractive in the evening light at times.
Best wishes to you Peter and your family. Things are finally and gratefully catching up around here, and just so you know we aren't complaining. We have been living under third world conditions and standards for a very long time under a corrupt government ripe with nepotism and corruptions. Google Mayor Billy Kenoi and his entire county staff with felony charges if you don't believe it. Lucky you to come when things are looking up for the first time in maybe 50 or 60 yrs.
Even the current police chief and the captain in Pahoa are genuine and non-racist folk. God willing this trend continues.
Posts: 5,640
Threads: 101
Joined: Dec 2008
Roundabout to open in May! I hope they put up cameras so we can capture this end of civilization as we know it (according to some people).
Posts: 1,076
Threads: 51
Joined: Jan 2014
Now repeat after me:
"I will not stop inside the roundabout to let other drivers enter".
I know you will want to, but that's NOT how a roundabout works...