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http://www.hawaiitribune-herald.com/news...-elsewhere
Note that the money was
approved in 2015, but State now refuses to release the funds.
Not really a "surprise", but:
Eileen O'Hara, who voted for the resolution, said she also was concerned it would hurt the county's relationship with the department.
It's government's job to collect, manage, and distribute funds. If asking for money (that's already been approved as part of a budget) might "hurt the relationship", then someone isn't doing their job. It's not like we're asking HDOT out on a date (even if we are getting screwed).
Funnier, except not really funny:
the county is pursuing a master plan to improve connectivity between Puna subdivisions ... Such planning, though, is already being done by the connectivity subcommittee for the Puna Community Development Plan's action committee.
"I had no idea they were planning a master plan," she said.
Almost as if the CDPs are worthless. Almost.
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The DOT's mantra in this situation is that they want to finish the widening of Highway 130 before they begin any new routes into Puna. An alternate route is not currently on the DOT's master plan, and they control the money. Add the fact that there is a moratorium on capacity increase projects at this time, and O'Hara should have known that the new road was going nowhere. (The moratorium is punishment by Ige and the DOT bureaucrats for the failure of some road tax increases last year.) I see the resolution as being political posturing for O'Hara to placate some key campaign supporters rather than any real hope of actually starting anything. Anyone for some more tilting at windmills?
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I'm not surprised. Why should the DOT spend $ on the largest growing County in the state?
We have to get on the road at 6 am to make an 8am apt. In Hilo.
We just need to remember to bring water and food with us for a "trek" to and from town.
In the 80's we could get from HPP to UH in less than 30 minutes.
Now we do our shopping "runs" before daylight or waste hours on the road.
My new mainland neighbor told me this week that she was told by her Realtor that Puna is the "Watts" of Hawaii. (After she'd bought the house). Nice...
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Why should the DOT spend $ on the largest growing County in the state?
Why should we expect HDOT to bail us out of County's poor planning?
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I don't "expect" anything from HDOT but delays, inconvenience and excuses and I'm never disappointed.
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HA HA! Puna remains the proverbial 'red-headed stepchild' of the great and mighty State of Hawaii. The more things change, the more they stay the same.
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It's just going to get worse.
Hawaii Pension Fund Shortfall Hits $12 Billion
http://www.civilbeat.org/2017/01/hawaii-...2-billion/
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http://www.hawaiitribune-herald.com/news...30-stretch
the county will do the work itself, possibly starting this summer, while the state Department of Transportation covers the cost of materials
With this generous contribution from HDOT, the bottleneck can be at Shower Drive full-time, not just during commute hours. What a great victory for our poor, beleagured HPP residents!
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the bottleneck can be at Shower Drive full-time
...
The only project to make the cut on Hawaii Island is the latest realignment project for Saddle Road,
Thank you HDOT, for funding only one project. And picking one where nobody lives.
You could never convince a monkey to give you a banana by promising him limitless bananas after death in monkey heaven.
"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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funding only one project.... where nobody lives
Saddle road improvements are vital to our visitor economy -- tourists need a way to get from the nice hotels to the lava flow boats/helicopters.
