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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Tuesday, August 14, 2001

Drive Time
Village Park road plan ready for scrutiny

By Scott Ishikawa
Advertiser Transportation Writer

The city is seeking public comment on a draft environmental assessment for a proposed road that would connect Village Park with Waipahu Town.

Dubbed the "Village Park Connector Road," the access road would run under the H-1 Freeway and follow the alignment of an existing cane haul road. The road would extend from Kupuna Loop in Village Park to Loa'a Street in Waipahu.

The connector road would include two 10-foot-wide lanes for automobiles and a 12-foot-wide path for two bike lanes and a pedestrian way.

Presently, motorists traveling between Village Park and Waipahu Town use either Kunia Road or Paiwa Street via H-1. Traffic is expected to increase in the Village Park/Royal Kunia area over the long term, with further residential and commercial development there.

The city would like to begin construction for the connector road in March 2002, but the actual start date will depend on obtaining the required permits and approvals.

Construction would take about a year. Estimated cost for design and construction for the project is $3.25 million, which would be financed through the city's Community Vision Program.

Most of the land under the proposed road is owned by the Moanalua Congregational Christian Church of American Samoa, but the church has agreed to convey the needed land to the city.

The draft report said the Village Park connector would reduce traffic congestion along Kunia Road near Village Park.

Not surprisingly, the draft report said the road would also increase traffic along residential streets near the connector road, particularly near the intersection of Waipahu and Honowai streets.

"Motorists making left turns from Honowai Street to Waipahu Street will experience long delays," the city report said. The city would need to monitor the intersection to determine whether it eventually needs a traffic signal to deal with increased traffic.

The public can view the draft environmental assessment report at the Hawai'i State Library's Hawai'i Documents Center, 478 S. King St.; Waipahu Public Library at 94-275 Mokuola St.; and the Office of Environmental Quality Control at 235 S. Beretania St. Suite 202.

The deadline to submit public comments is Aug. 22. Comments should be sent to:

    Rae Loui, P.E., Director
    Department of Design and Construction
    650 S. King St., 11th floor
    Honolulu, HI 96813

Attention should be made to Harold Sato.

Reach Scott Ishikawa at sishikawa@honoluluadvertiser.com or 525-8070.