The Kaua‘i County Council and South Shore residents yesterday welcomed with open arms a draft intermodal transportation plan a nationally renowned traffic expert has developed for the region. The draft plan, by Jim Charlier of Charlier and Associates of Colorado,
The Kaua‘i County Council and South Shore residents yesterday welcomed with open arms a draft intermodal transportation plan a nationally renowned traffic expert has developed for the region.
The draft plan, by Jim Charlier of Charlier and Associates of Colorado, which was discussed during a council meeting at the historic County Building yesterday, proposes connecting roads and bicycle and walking paths where almost none exist today.
New traffic turn-in lanes, expansion of The Kaua‘i Bus and a shuttle bus system also were proposed.
Councilwoman JoAnn Yukimura, a strong advocate of alternate forms of transportation, said the framework and strong working relationships Charlier developed with the government and the community in drafting the plan were exemplary.
“To see it come this far is gratifying,” she said.
County officials also praised the work done by Charlier over the last six months or so, but said the projects had been proposed during past county administrations and that Charlier skillfully pulled them all together.
The entire project would be developed at an estimated cost of $56 million over 20 years, Charlier said, and the biggest challenge is determining a fair way for financing the improvements.
The draft report mentioned funding could come from some combination of developers, impact fees, incremental taxing, private groups, the federal government and the county.
Some of the major recommendations include keeping two-lane roads up until 2020, unless increased development takes hold, not paying up to $40 million to build the mile-long northern leg of the western bypass road, and preserving Maluhia Road — the main road to the South Shore — as a two-lane road for as long as possible.
Councilman Jay Furfaro praised the work of Charlier’s team as well, but suggested the plan could provide the most benefits if meshed with the county’s land use development for Koloa and Po‘ipu.
Eric Crispin, a former planning director for the City and County of Honolulu and now a representative for Starwood, which owns the Sheraton Kauai Hotel in Po‘ipu, said county planning director Ian Costa and county engineer Donald Fujimoto have met on the subject.
A handful of developers in Po‘ipu and Koloa who will seek county approval for future projects paid more than $300,000 to Charlier for the study, also known as the “Koloa-Poipu Area Circulation Plan.”
Residents sought out such a plan to avoid what they say will be nearly intolerable traffic congestion in Koloa and Po‘ipu if all the development on the books is built out.
Charlier said he kept in mind the priority of the community in developing the plan — keeping the rural character of Koloa and Po‘ipu.
His work also sparked praise from Ted Blake and other Koloa Association members, as well as the Poipu Beach Resort Association.
Charlier said the work went as smoothly as it did because of the help of Mayor Bryan Baptiste. “The mayor gave us time and met us almost every time we were in town,” he said.
The report was developed after months of meetings between Charlier and Baptiste’s administration, developers and South Shore community organizations and residents.
Charlier said he was most proud of the fact that residents put their identity on the plan. “This plan has been a community effort,” he said.
Charlier said residents seem most afraid the plan could sit on the shelf once approved, but by the same token, they want to “have the momentum of the planning process lead to implementation.”
A final plan is expected to be sent to the council for review.
