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Alii Parkway pushed back Kim says move should save time in long run by Jim Quirk
West Hawaii Today
jquirk@westhawaiitoday.com
Saturday, March 3, 2007 8:44 AM HST
The first phase of the Alii Parkway project that would provide another route between Kona and Keauhou has been further delayed.
Hawaii County Mayor Harry Kim said about a year ago the project required a redesign because it wasn't "people-friendly" enough and to address a Native Hawaiian burial site discovered on the proposed route.
Public Works Director Bruce McClure and Deputy Public Works Director Jiro Sumada said about a year ago the county is expected to receive $24 million for the first phase from the Federal Highways Administration in 2007-08, and that the redesign, which will cost $1.9 million, would be completed before the federal fiscal year starts this October.
The project's timeline has since changed, Kim and County Managing Director Dixie Kaetsu said Friday, as the county isn't expected to receive any federal funding for it until the 2008-09 fiscal year.
The Alii Parkway project isn't listed in Kim's proposed capital budget for next fiscal year, nor does it appear in the Statewide Transportation Improvement Program budget for fiscal years 2006 through 2008.
The reason for the additional delay, Kim said, is that he made a decision in the past year to have Public Works work more closely with those who might have problems with the parkway's construction, including nearby residents and the Hawaii Island Burial Council.
The burial council and residents who live near where the road is proposed to be built didn't approve of the original design, so Kim said this time he wants to make sure the burial council and community are all on the same page with the redesign before he tries moving it forward.
The burial council voted against the original design because the parkway would have crossed over a burial site.
Last year one of the ideas tossed around for the redesign was to build a bridge over the burial, but Kim and Kaetsu said Friday the bridge concept was cost-prohibitive and now won't be considered.
Kim believes delaying the project by working with those against the original design will actually speed up the construction process. It would be better to have everyone in agreement with the redesign before trying to get the burial council to sign off on it, he said.
Using money from the $1.9 million redesign fund, the county hired a subconsultant to coordinate the redesign with the burial council, Kim said.
The state provided the county with $3 million for the original highway design, he said.
When it was discovered that design wouldn't fly, the county, instead of having to pay the state back for not using the design, agreed it would pay for the $1.9 million redesign, Kim said.
Kim believes if the project was designed correctly in the first place, two-thirds of the first phase of the parkway project already would be completed.
Kim also wants residents to know that expanding the island's road system to alleviate traffic concerns on the west side of the island is a top priority.
Kim, during a speech last week, focused on his belief there's a medical health crisis in West Hawaii due to a lack of doctors.
He made it clear Friday that, just because he was talking about the medical health crisis doesn't mean he's not focused on the other issues, such as roads, as well.
"Money is not an issue here," Kim said of proposed road projects, adding what's required to move them forward is the "full cooperation of the people."
"I'm not satisfied with all the kinds of delays," he said. "I am satisfied with what (road projects) we have identified."
The county is planning new roads, Kim said, but he said he doesn't know when they're going to get built.
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