•Honor the process •Prevent traffic accidents Honor the process Kauai’s path, Ke Ala Hele Makalae (The Path that Goes by the Coast) is truly demonstrating its potential. The path assures safe shoreline access for everyone forever — not just for
•Honor the process
•Prevent traffic accidents
Honor the process
Kauai’s path, Ke Ala Hele Makalae (The Path that Goes by the Coast) is truly demonstrating its potential.
The path assures safe shoreline access for everyone forever — not just for the rich, not just visitors, but for everyone. Walking or riding a bike on the path is a joyous experience. How much more spiritual can you get than to greet happy mothers with babies in strollers, people with canes, folks in wheelchairs, youngsters on bikes with the whole family, including a toddler perched on dad’s shoulders? Everyone’s smiling and acknowledging each other. It’s our ‘ohana celebrating vitality, nature and becoming physically fit, too!
Isn’t it interesting that when we are planning the path, everyone has an opinion and it is so controversial, but when it gets built, it turns out great and everybody’s happy? There is a reason for that — despite what some believe, very thoughtful and careful planning has gone into it.
Such is the case with the next phase from Lydgate to Kapa‘a. Planning began in earnest in 2003, and included four public input meetings involving 283 individuals, numerous private meetings with elected and agency officials, members of business and civic organizations, and property owners. The project alternatives and a full range of environmental concerns were discussed and evaluated as mandated by HRS Chapter 343 and the National Environmental Policy Act. Project impacts were further reviewed through the county’s Special Management Area regulatory process.
Various routes were envisioned and each one was thoroughly evaluated. The final environmental assessment was published in 2007. Yes, unlike the Superferry there is an EA. There were numerous opportunities to provide input on the decisions by the time they were made. The public meeting held on Dec. 4, 2008 was with the design team. They weren’t expecting an organized group who wanted to revisit the decision to route the path along the coast. That decision had been carefully made more than a year earlier. Today the project is 100 percent designed, ready to construct and provide jobs for local people.
The decision to place the path in Wailua Beach Park was made because it is environmentally sound, and it is the best of the available alternatives. It is “along the coast,” and the overwhelming majority of people have expressed the desire for the path to remain along the coast as much as possible. The decision was made following the recommendation of recognized cultural practitioners, the Burial Council, and the Office of Hawaiian Affairs, who specifically requested the makai route that avoids the more significant cultural and burial concerns to be found mauka. A more detailed discussion is available at www.KauaiPath.org.
The alternate route behind the Coco Palms was considered and rejected for several reasons. First it is longer and more costly. Along Kuamo‘o Road there would need to be land acquisition and that route would likely require structures leading to the excavation of footings that would impact sensitive areas known to have burials. The much longer path would have to make a mid-block crossing at Haleilio Road. Once across Haleilio, three lots with existing homes would have to be acquired and the homes removed. Simply saying, “re-route the path,” sounds easy, but the devil is in the details.
In the planning process not every decision is perfect, and not every individual gets his or her desired outcome. In this process everyone’s input was respected, the right decision was made, and now the job is ready to go. We can re-open the EA and delay the project by several years at the risk of losing funds available now while most likely arriving at the same conclusion. Or we can responsibly honor the process and get to work now.
Louise Arakaki, Kapa‘a; Bev Brody, Kilauea; Tim Bynum, Wailua; Jean Camp, Anahola; Robert Farias Sr., Kapa‘a; Brett Ishida, Kapa‘a; Sabra Kauka, Lihu‘e; Jo Manea, Wailua; Thomas Noyes, Wailua; Neill Sams, Kapa‘a; Gabriela Taylor, Kapa‘a; Laura Wiley, Kapa‘a; Ron Wiley, Kapa‘a; Sean Mahoney, Kealia
Prevent traffic accidents
It’s time the highway planning department takes another look at the Lawa‘i Post Office/business area for turn lanes and speed limits.
During the 4:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. traffic flow, it is difficult to turn across traffic from the Kalaheo side, and with a danger of sunlight in the eyes of drivers going to Kalaheo.
I’d like to suggest painted turn lanes both ways to the Post Office/business area, a speed limit at 25 mph, and moving the bus stop (not much used), on the Lihu‘e bound traffic to the funeral home area so traffic doesn’t “cheat” and do a right-side pass through the bus stop when a car is turning left from Kalaheo.
This “cheating” blocks traffic viewing from the side streets on that side of the highway, and traffic from entering the highway. Do I dare suggest a “stop light” with a morning and evening traffic flow pattern and a yellow blinking light during the day? Yes, stop traffic accidents before they happen!
William Cramer, Koloa
