WAILUA — The Kapa‘a Business Association traffic committee will host a traffic information and status forum at 7 p.m. Thursday at Smith’s Paradise Pavilion to present possible answers to an ever-growing problem for drivers. For the past seven years, KBA
WAILUA — The Kapa‘a Business Association traffic committee will host a traffic information and status forum at 7 p.m. Thursday at Smith’s Paradise Pavilion to present possible answers to an ever-growing problem for drivers.
For the past seven years, KBA has strived to find solutions to the Eastside’s traffic woes. Members have worked closely with the state Department of Transportation, the county engineering division, the mayor, developers and representatives of Bette Midler, an Eastside property owner.
At the many DOT meetings over the years, officials revealed a new highway that would run from Princeville to Koloa called the “relief route,” but noted that it would not come into existence for at least 20 years.
The KBA traffic committee, headed by Bob Bartolo, felt there could be more immediate solutions to the ever growing traffic back-ups, an Oct. 4 news release states.
Bartolo and KBA members Tito Castillo, Steve Thatcher and Neill Sams began to push for a coalition of key business and government leaders, which came together in 2005.
With the help of Eastside developers, a Wailua-Kapa‘a Traffic Coalition Report was prepared by consultants Kimley-Horn and Associates. This technical report pointed out the same key solutions the KBA traffic committee had been requesting for years.
It identified key relief points: four lanes from the current bypass to and over the Wailua Bridge, a connector road from the bypass to the rear of Foodland and eventually Safeway shopping centers, two lanes from the roundabout to Kuhio Highway with a connection to Hau‘a‘ala Road.
The four lanes to the bridge have been funded and were scheduled to begin this year, however, a news release states that a problem with an agreement with Coco Palms may have put this project in jeopardy.
An agreement had been made with developers to build the connector road from the bypass to Foodland but a disagreement over the width of the canal bridge has held this up.
To learn the status of the recommended solutions and what work has been done to date, look for answers at KBA’s forum. Asked to speak are state Sen. Gary Hooser, DOT representative Steve Kyono, county representative Donald Fujimoto, Mayor Bryan Baptiste and Kauai County Council member Tim Bynum. A question and answer period will follow.
For more information, call 639-8080.
Want to Go?
What: Traffic information and status forum
Where: Smith’s Paradise Pavilion, Wailua
When: 7 p.m. Thursday
Information: 639-8080
