A path to nowhere?

In the early 1990s, some county officials began to circulate the view that a 20-mile walking and bicycling path along the eastern coastline of Kaua‘i from Anahola to Nawiliwili could be an attractive project.

The concept was espoused by exercise activists and a collection of others who articulated their support and the path’s cause was greatly enhanced when it appeared that the federal government might meet 80 percent of its cost if it was considered to serve island transportation needs.

Sadly, the supposed shining idea has become a casualty of governmental lack of judgment, inefficiency, mistakes and cover up and it now seems overwhelmingly likely that its completion will never happen. Let’s look at a few of the ineptitudes that arose.

Some of the flaws were apparent from the outset. Planners estimated that the path cost by completion would approach $50 million. Even with the federal government funding 80 percent of its cost, that meant that citizens of Kaua‘i would be incurring nearly $10 million if estimates were accurate. (They seldom are.)

Thoughtful government watchdogs were excluded from the decision process. Enamored with the path’s magic appeal our government simply overlooked a fundamental inequity. Who would use the path? Yes, some east side residents (and dogs) would be able to enjoy the path, but should citizens on the north, south and west parts of the island have to contribute their taxes for something they would never use? This question remains unanswered.

Anxious to embark on the program before the public caught up with its deficiencies, approval for construction of small segments of the path were given. In virtually all projects of similar nature, work is not initiated until the entire scope is known and its potential problems explored and resolved. Such problems would include the usage expected, the definitive route, the legal costs, future maintenance costs, and whether citizens really wanted the path.

In grievous departure from sound planning principles, our county government did not study the total program then or later. At this advanced date, only two segments totaling about five miles — a fraction of the intended total length — have been completed, and no government official is saying what will happen on the remainder.

Assurances were sought by our county officials from the federal government to support the lion’s share of the path’s costs. The U.S. Department of Transportation has authority to make grants to local governments for projects serving transportation needs for an area. The criteria for the granted funds is that the project provides transportation enhancements rather than recreational needs.

Although by any reasonable standard the path segments are essentially used for recreational purposes — witness the extended County Council debate about whether dogs would be allowed — the Department of Transportation seems amenable to the expenditure of federal funds for a major share of the path’s cost.

County officials rejoice that federal moneys are expected to displace the need for county funds. This thinking does not avoid the fact that taxpayers must in the ultimate analysis meet all of the costs of the path.

The lack of planning by our county government at the outset of the path project has continued. When the route for the path was proposed to go along the coast southward from Kapa‘a to Wailua, legal proceedings were initiated by interested owners and the county backed down.

Similarly, when routing was contemplated through the Wailua houselots, a belligerent gathering of owners opposing it brought then Mayor Bryan Baptiste to promise that the path would never go there. How the remainder of the path will be routed remains a mystery.

From time to time, one or two members of the County Council sought information as to the costs that the path building had and would incur. In June 2007, a written request was made by council member Mel Rapozo for responses to 24 questions concerning the path. There is no record that any of them have been answered.

The administration’s point man for the path was summoned by the council on numerous occasions. On some of them, he disclaimed having the information sought, and on others he just didn’t even bother to respond. For a period of about a year the administration simply stonewalled any response to the inquiries.

The last data publicly known indicates that supposedly about $36 million has now been expended. We should pause and reflect that if only a small part of the total projected path cost that much, how much would the completed path cost? At this time, it may or may not be that the council continues to lack information about the financial picture, but certainly the public does. A variety of requests for information from citizens remain unanswered.

The whole project is a shameful blot on our county government. Our county officials basically failed to observe the guidelines that should control their actions. A feasibility study for the project was never performed. No one ever examined the steps and costs that might be required to get the legal rights to enable a complete construction of the path as envisaged. The potentially misleading arrangements with the U.S. Department of Transportation for cost sharing on the project have never been disclosed.

Information about construction costs has not been forthcoming. Massive cost overruns may have happened. There may be a failure or limitation of the federal financial support. Both council members and administration staff appear anxious to cover up the information that the public is entitled to know.

Many people support the concept of the path. Some might be prepared to defend its cost. No one, however, should accept the disgraceful missteps that have occurred. A comprehensive audit of the project should be commissioned to make public findings about its characteristics and recommendations to avoid in the future the multiplicity of failures that have arisen.

Will this happen? Not while our citizens continue to be complacent about our government and its performance.

• Walter Lewis is a resident of Princeville and writes a biweekly column for The Garden Island.