A nod to Puna's traffic problems
Anybody else notice Alton Okinaka, chairman of the Governor's Advisory Council, nodding off during the traffic discussion at Thursday's Makuu meeting?
Here's the context: Council member Carol Van Camp (right) explained at the beginning of the meeting that Okinaka was losing his voice. She may have said he wasn't feeling well, I don't remember, but she announced that she would chair the meeting as Okinaka sat beside her. He mumbled and nodded.
Later, however, Okinaka spoke at some length on an issue before the board and could be heard clearly in the audience when he held the microphone properly.
So I guess that Chairman Okinaka regained his strength with much-needed rest during the transportation discussion which occurred early in the agenda. It's why most people were there. Okinaka's chin dropped to his chest over folded arms several times during the testimony, creating an image that helps shape a perception reflected in recent comments here and in Councilman Gary Safarik's remarks Thursday: That the whole meeting was just a political dog-and-pony show held to showcase candidates in Puna, not to advance the discussion of solutions to real traffic problems.
The further I am from Thursday's meeting the more appalling I think it was. How can the transportation department's highways director come to a meeting in Puna with so little knowledge of the problems on state highway Route 130? The Lingle administration should be embarrassed. It was nearly insulting. Puna deserves better.
I try hard not to be cynical but things like this make it so easy. So to hedge the urge, let me say that I truly hope the enthusiasm, local knowledge and good common sense displayed by so many dedicated public citizens was impressive enough to spark the DOT into adopting a fresh new approach to traffic planning in Puna.
Ha.
Hunter Bishop
in Politics, Commentary, Local planning
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Reader Comments (10)
First: ono pic!
Next, Okinaka probably was ill, he was drinking from his bottle of tea(?) -- when my throat is out of whack I continuously sip something to soothe it. Also, I don't bother to go to public meetings where I might infect someone else! ...I know, I am too soft-hearted...sometimes.
Asleep or not, I'm not sure he would have made a contribution on a good day!
Anyway, there was plenty about the meeting to find appalling, especially the (deputy) director. The answers he gave, including the response to my early question about roundabouts, were obviously canned, prepared beforehand by some poor sap on his staff.
About Gary. He's hard for me to figure. After all that was said during the meeting Thursday night, afterwards he was talking to two people and I invited my self to listen in. He was still pushing signalized intersections and how they would provide safety. Of course, I pointed out that roundabuts are proven much, much safer. He replies, "The State has closed the door on that." And, I said, "We kicked that door open tonight and will keep kicking it open." He listened, and asked me could I vote for him.
Certainly that one meeting is not going to change much, if anything, as far as the state DOT is concerned. However, one thing it did change is that several people in the community now realize we share amazingly common ground on this issue.
What to do now?
1) Have a viable alternative to propose (we have this).
2)Clarity and articulation are essential (we've demonstrated we can do that).
2) Many voices are needed (we now have this and can get more).
4) Speak out again and again and again -- once is not enough (this we MUST now demonstrate that we are willing and able to do!)
These are the opening lines from a December 28, 2004 press release:
“HONOLULU – Governor Linda Lingle announced today that Brennon Morioka, Ph.D, P.E., has been named deputy director – highways for the state Department of Transportation (DOT). He will begin his new position in late January.
Morioka, who currently is the chairman and executive director of the Hawai`i Republican Party is a civil engineer by training. He previously served as a senior geotechnical engineer in the Honolulu Office of URS Corporation, one of the largest engineering firms in the world. His responsibilities included project management, geotechnical investigation, analysis, design, and report writing for trenchless technologies (micro tunneling, directional drilling), solid waste landfills, landslide mitigation, and geotechnical foundation and infrastructure projects.”
Although his engineering specialty was not highways, he had far more important credentials: chairman of the Hawai`i Republican Party.
If it wasn't so awful I would laugh.
Brennon has been here in Puna before. I don't know if Gary was at that meeting or not. The Action Team is made up of every party. The people killed on the highway are from every party. Politics is about all of the people. I don't mean to be cynical but some of us believe it is OK if they overlap. Imagine candidates that worry about the needs of the people.
Could you please provide substantive evidence on the $600 million? Not that I think the 'majority' party is lily white, just that I like verification when numbers are used.
Nothing in my corresondence has implied that being a party chair is a government post -- just that getting appointed to a government post resulted from being a party chair first.
Brennan telling the truth? What he told the community was that he didn't care what they thought, his dept and administration have their own plan and they are sticking with it.
Unfortunately, solving problems does sometime require demanding accountability -- while the Dem Party has undoubtedly failed in doing what needs to be done here, it is the Republican Party that sent Brennan here and he failed miserably in listening to the community. Brennan was not appointed because he cared about making highways safer or even that he was qualified to -- he was appointed as a loyal party apparatchik (just like Democrats have made the same kind of appointments).
In 1996 the Legislature raided transportation funds of 10million, 1997 19 million and then 22.5 million, 1998 23.4 million, 1999 24.3 million, 2000 11 million, 2001, 11 million, 2002 and 2003 22million total, 2004 12.5 million.
Each time this is done means Gas Tax and Federal matching funds of 4-1 are basically thrown away. Speaking to others they felt Brennon was non responsive also. I know this was not his intention but perception can be more damaging then intention in government. I'll forward the complaints on personally to him. Also I'll forward them on to the Governor personally. Thanks for the dialogue.
1. Scenic Parkway, from Hawaiian Beaches to Hilo
A new corridor with unrestricted access does not present a practical option for enhancing mobility choices. Any new motor vehicle corridor from Hawaiian Beaches to Hilo should have restricted access and be multi-modal.
The possibility of a Puna makai route across Hawaiian Paradise Park (HPP) has raised community concerns regarding road width, and the speed of cars and trucks traveling through residential areas. Multiple, narrower routes across HPP – for example, on 25th, 15th, and 5th – rather than a single full-width corridor going through HPP, would avoid concentrating traffic on one street
A scenic parkway from Hilo to HPP and from HPP to Hawaiian Beaches would accommodate two lanes for passenger motor vehicles (cars and motorcycles), one lane for buses, and one lane for bicycles. Traffic entering HPP from the parkway would be distributed to destinations within HPP, or to the respective north or south bound streets for traversing HPP and then exiting HPP onto the parkway.
A bus-only lane and a bike lane would enter/exit HPP at 15th. Car and motorcycle traffic would enter HPP at 5th when north bound and at 25th when south bound.
A scenic parkway with no access between Hawaiian Beaches and HPP, or between HPP and Hilo would help prevent sprawl and contribute to, rather than distract from, green infrastructure.
2. Hwy 11 and Hwy 130 at existing widths and for keeping trucks off the scenic parkway
Widening Highway 130 does not offer a sustainable solution to traffic congestion in general, or increased mobility in particular. Highways 130 and 11 now link commercial areas along two routes: Pahoa-Keaau-Hilo and Pahoa-Keaau-Volcano. A corridor from Hawaiian Beaches to Hilo, via HPP, would not link these commercial areas.
With trucks (one ton or larger) using only Highways 130 and 11, a scenic parkway, including routes across HPP, can be narrower than would be the case with mixed traffic.
3. Roundabouts on Highway 130 and on the Scenic Parkway at Hawaiian Paradise Park
Roundabouts, as compared to signal lights and stop signs, are safer, resulting in fewer overall collisions for autos, pedestrians, and bicycles; as well as less severe and fewer fatal collisions. There is less delay at intersections with roundabouts, resulting in shorter travel times and less fuel consumption. The operation and maintenance cost for roundabouts is lower than for signal lights. Intersections with roundabouts consume no electricity and continue to operate during electrical power failure. Roundabouts contribute to positive aesthetics, with greenscape instead of overhead wires.
4. Guided Busway in conjunction with a Scenic Parkway
A guided busway provides the operating features of grade-separated rail systems using lower-cost, more flexible bus-transit technologies, and allows the passenger to use just one mode of transport for an entire trip. The need to transfer from one bus (or mode) to another is known to be a deterrent to increasing mass transit ridership. Where busways have been used, the result has been increased bus ridership, reduced delays to buses, reduced peak bus journey times and reduced peak traffic flows.
A guided busway has off-road fixed tracks, consisting of concrete troughs. Buses travel along a concrete track and can enter and exit normal roads and the busway at multiple points. Small wheels are fitted near the front of the bus. These wheels run along guides on either side of the track, with the effect of assisting steering of the bus. A single-lane guided busway way allows bus traffic in both directions at the same time, with buses passing at designated locations (e.g., HPP).
Open rural commercial centers.
Deliver mail to our homes.
Provide the roads-schools and health and safety services that 50 years of tax collection has earned her citizens.
The focus on the issue of where and what shape to make the new (or improved) road to Hilo is based on old and outdated assumptions - delay meaningful discussions- find a few detractors and give them a microphone and have lots of meetings at 8pm.
The reality is Puna could finance as many roads, hospitals and police and fire services if it were to receive the fair and equitable portion of its tax contributions.
Just a simple example to substantiate this statement.
Today HPP (about 25% of the estimated population of Puna) is taxed on a 2006 property valuation of US$2.2 billion dollars up from the initial tax base valuation of US$1.5 million in 1970.
Considering HPP has close to 12,000 residents pouring in
an additional US$100 billion in GDP each year- how is it there is just one county service available to the residents of HPP?
Snoring.
It is high time elected officials get kicked out-wholesale-
and a fresh face put the situation.
In the meantime there is about 12 months for the elected officials to show the voters of Puna that words and smiles are in fact backed up by brains just a equitable representation. Now not if we give them 4 more years.
One more comment.
I would like to see a survey conducted.
How many county and state employees already know who they are suppose to vote for in the 2008 elections for system preservation?
Live Aloha is not the same as roll over!