Sandwich Isles Communications, Inc. will be holding two informational meetings regarding nighttime installation of underground fiber optic cable along Kaumuali’i Highway, from Kapaia Bridge in Hanamaulu to Haleiwi Road between Kalaheo and Hanapepe. The new fiber optic network will provide
Sandwich Isles Communications, Inc. will be holding two informational meetings regarding nighttime installation of underground fiber optic cable along Kaumuali’i Highway, from Kapaia Bridge in Hanamaulu to Haleiwi Road between Kalaheo and Hanapepe.
The new fiber optic network will provide an advanced telecommunication infrastructure to the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands (DHHL). In addition, SIC says the fiber optics will allow DHHL tenants to access advanced services at affordable rates.
The contractor, Henkels & McCoy, will pass through state highways from Hanamaulu to Kekaha, and the state Department of Transportation is requiring that night work is done in areas with more traffic, said Dawn Chang, Sandwich Isles Communications, Inc.
Henkels and McCoy is currently completing similar nighttime fiber optic cable work from Anahola to Hanama’ulu along Kaumuali’i Highway.
The purpose of this week’s meetings is to get responses from the public regarding noise and the night work, which will include trenching, backfilling and repaving.
“The people being serviced by new fiber optic lines will have all capabilities of current service providers but it will be better quality with the fiber optics, said Roland Licona, Department of Hawaiian Home Lands district supervisor.
Communications services are exclusively for Department of Hawaiian Home Lands’ new development properties statewide, Licona said. “Not all these homesteaders will be directly connected to this system; it’s for new developments,” Licona said.
There are currently three residential homestead sites on Kaua’i, in Anahola, Hanapepe and Kekaha. Service will be provided to all new homestead developments statewide.
On the island of Kaua’i, there are 510 homesteads that are leased $1 a year to qualified Native Hawaiians. Of those, 461 are residential, 47 are agricultural and two are pastoral, or ranching, Licona said. There are 13 residential lots under contract in Anahola being brought to county development standards. Also, there are 45 residential lots for a site called “Oceanview” on Aliomanu Road in Anahola, a two-acre site in Kekaha, both still in the planning phase.
SIC is estimating 90-100 nighttime days of work from Hanama’ulu to Kekaha, and is still getting construction permits for other phases of the project, Chang said.
This week’s informational meetings will be the public’s opportunity to raise any concerns about nighttime work and noise, she added.
Scheduled to appear at the meeting include a project team: a representative from contractor Henkels & McCoy can answer questions on noise and machinery; a member of the contract engineering team could answer questions about the traffic plan during construction.
If people oppose the nighttime work, SIC must go back to the Department of Transportation to discuss other options, Chang said.
The first meeting is scheduled for tonight at 7 p.m. at the Lihue Neighborhood Center, 3553 Ono St. Another meeting is scheduled for tomorrow, Wednesday June 26, at 7 p.m. at the Kalaheo Neighborhood Center, 4480 Papalina Road.
