Final Report of Waimea Traffic Circulation Study (2.8 MB)- the findings and recommendations of the study are the same as those presented at community meetings in December 2006 and November 2007. The County of Hawai'i Annual Report for Fiscal Year (FY) 2006-2007 stated that: "The findings from this study confirmed the need for the Lalamilo and Parker Ranch Connectors to provide alternative routes so that all traffic does not have to flow through the existing bottleneck at the Lindsey Road intersection. The study also recommended other improvements (e.g., selective widening of Mamalahoa [Highway] and initiation of an intra-Waimea shuttle bus service) and traffic control measures (e.g., left turn restrictions) that can be done in the short-term."
Draft Waimea Traffic Circulation Study (4.3 MB) - comments are being accepted on this draft until November 9, 2007. E-mail comments to the County by clicking here (and a copy will be posted on this website) or mail them to Larry Brown, Planner, County of Hawaii Planning Department, 101 Pauahi Street, Suite 3, Hilo, Hawaii 96720
Introduction
Transportation improvement projects are typically identified by a transportation circulation study and documented in a transportation circulation plan. The County Department of Public Works then contracts out the design and construction of individual projects following the priorities in the plan. No such plan exists for the South Kohala region.
The County Planning Department has retained a national transportation engineering firm with an office in Honolulu, Parsons Brinckerhoff Quade & Douglas, Inc. (often shortened to Parsons Brinckerhoff), to perform a local transportation circulation study of the Waimea area as part of the South Kohala CDP process. The study will help the community and help the County Council decide how to spend the $9.6 million remaining from the proceeds of the $10 million County bond issue to immediately improve Waimea's road network:
The study will also identify and prioritize projects needed in the short-term and long-term to improve vehicular and non-vehicular (pedestrian and bicycle) circulation in Waimea town.
Here is the contact information for the engineers working on the project:
Wayne Y. Yoshioka, P.E.
Manager of Transportation Planning/Traffic Engineering
Parsons Brinckerhoff Quade & Douglas, Inc.
American Savings Bank Tower, Suite 2400
1001 Bishop Street
Honolulu, Hawaii 96813
ph. (808) 531-7094, fax (808) 528-2368
yoshiokaw@pbworld.com
Hong. Li, PhD, PE, PTOE
Senior Transportation Engineer
Parsons Brinckerhoff Quade & Douglas, Inc.
American Savings Bank Tower
1001 Bishop Street, Suite 2400
Honolulu, HI 96813, USA
Tel: 808-566-2211
Fax: 808-528-2368
LiH@pbworld.com
The following documents describe the study:
County Council Bill 234 - this a draft of the ordinance accepting federal grant funds to partially pay for the study
Because obtaining grant funding for the project took a while, the project is running about five months behind the original schedule:
November, 2005--consultant selected
December, 2005--first public meeting held (five total are planned)
May, 2006--draft report of study circulated
September, 2006--construction of projects begins
The County Planning Department can be reached here.
The County Department of Public Works can be reached here.
The South Kohala Traffic Safety Committee formed a subcommittee, called the Waimea Traffic Solutions Subcommittee, to gather information about internal traffic circulation in town to share with the consultants.
Public Meetings
Consultant presentations and summaries of public comments are as follows:
December 7, 2006 Public Meeting
The consultant described progress made to date and presented their preliminary recommendations at the regular meeting of the WCA on Thursday, December 7, at 5:15 pm at the Waimea School Cafeteria.
June 1, 2006 Public Meeting
The kick-off presentation of the Waimea Traffic Circulation Study was held at the regular Waimea Community Association (WCA) meeting on Thursday, June 1, at 5:15 pm at the YMCA's Kahilu Town Hall. Parsons Brinckerhoff, a traffic engineering firm hired by the county with input from the WCA, shares what they have learned to date and answered questions about the study.
Current Issues
The following issues have been mentioned related to the Waimea Traffic Circulation Study:
Is it feasible for local schools and/or local businesses to stagger opening and closing hours to ease rush hour traffic?
Can the operation of the traffic signals in town be timed to maximize traffic movement to the west in the morning and to the east in the evening?
Traffic turning left into local businesses can impede traffic flow. Can a continuous left turn lane be created through town?
Should the planters be removed from Mamalahoa Hwy.?
Can the lane that terminates at the hospital be continued to the east and another right turn lane be created for the hospital?
Can traffic circulation patterns be altered (e.g., right turns only allowed) at local schools?
Can HPA students be dropped off on Hokuula Rd.?
Can temporary routes be created that can be used during rush hours?
How will the safety of children playing along or walking or riding a bike to school along local roads be ensured?
Where should pedestrian cross walks be constructed?
How can we make it easy for tourists and residents to access local dining and shopping establishments?
Can bikeways and pedestrian pathways that feel safe to their users be created and local residents encouraged to use them?
Is it feasible to divert rush hour traffic north-south on Kamamalu Rd., then east-west on Kamanawa Rd. and Kahilu Rd., Ainahua Alanui Rd. or Pa'eli Alanui Rd. and then north-south on Mana Rd.?
Is it feasible to divert rush hour traffic north-south on Laelae Rd. and Opelo Rd., then east-west on Hokuula Rd. and then north-south on Lindsey Rd.? Should a bridge be built over Waikoloa stream at the end of Kapiolani Rd. to connect it (or a new connector road built along the bases of the puus north of town) to Mamalahoa Hwy. via a bridge at Church Row? Would widening of neighborhood streets be required? Would traffic calming structures (e.g., speed bumps) and pedestrian pathways be needed?
When will the Town Center Connector Rd. be completed by Parker Ranch or the County? Should a connection to Kamanawa Rd. and Kahilu Rd. be planned?
Can a bike lane and pedestrian pathway be included when the County reconstructs Mamalahoa Hwy east of town?
Communications
The following communications have been received that identify issues to be considered in transportation planning for Waimea:
If you are aware of other issues, please communicate them to us. We want everyone to be heard.
Learning Center
To learn more about the principles and practices available to address the issues mentioned above, click on the following links:
Context Sensitive Solutions: Thinking Beyond the Pavement - Context sensitive design (CSD) is a collaborative, interdisciplinary approach that involves all stakeholders to develop a transportation facility that fits its physical setting and preserves scenic, aesthetic, historic, and environmental resources, while maintaining safety and mobility.
Streets and Sidewalks, People and Cars: The Citizens' Guide to Traffic Calming
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