The more we have to condemn and buy up property to satisfy the insatiable appetite for the Ke Ala Hele Makalae path, the more rational people have to ask, is it really a necessity, do we need it and can
The more we have to condemn and buy up property to satisfy the insatiable appetite for the Ke Ala Hele Makalae path, the more rational people have to ask, is it really a necessity, do we need it and can we afford it?
On any prioritized list, is there anyone who would say that the cost of $4.44 million per mile for 23.6 miles of a multi-use path that has the potential of costing over $105 million is worth it?
And I use the word “potential” only because it has taken 10 years to complete 6.8 miles of this path and could cost much more: The feds are now considering defunding their 80 percent of projects like this and our 20 percent share (over $20 million) may never be available.
If for whatever reason federal funds are no longer available, would any of you citizens support paying 100 percent of the cost?
The excuse that we need this path for perpetual use of our shoreline is a red herring. We already have perpendicular use of our beaches and by law no one can take this right away.
Would any of you taxpayers be willing to say that this obscene amount of money used to build a dog/walking path for basically residents on the Eastside and some tourists is a top priority?
Remember that when this path was originally planned, it was written primarily as a bike path for transportation to abide by Article 23 U.S.C. 217i which states that “Bicycle projects must be principally for transportation and not recreational purposes.”
Now we read in The Garden Island from a letter writer who is concerned about the Wailua Beach Park being washed away by the ocean (where the path is supposed to go) who has said that the county’s principal architect for this path told members at a meeting that “the grant for funding the path carried no stipulation that the path must be continuous. It is used for recreation, not commuting or commerce, so not building it (by the Wailua Beach Park) will have negligible consequences.”
When this path is not continuous, when true bike riders never use it since the speed they ride will endanger all others using it, and when it is now confirmed that it will be used for recreation and not transportation, how will it meet federal guidelines for its funding?
So now as this “white elephant” creeps along and more obstacles (like buying and condemning land)
surface, the rules keep changing.
Also, as you have heard many times, a path was built from Pono Kai to Otsuka’s. It is still there, but due to very limited use, it was never maintained and is now under grass and dirt.
And it has also been pointed out that a true bike path was built paralleling our highway but, again, due to limited use, it has not been maintained.
Usage does dictate need and that is all the more reason we need alternate roads: major vehicle usage.
The point here is that projects like this were done long ago but were basically abandoned for lack of public use. So why this desperation to spend millions of tax dollars to fund a low-priority project duplicating a mistake?
Maybe someone in authority can tell the taxpayers why this path is being pushed when we have so many serious issues that need addressing?
• Glenn Mickens is a Kapa‘a resident.
