Kapolei traffic projects expedited
By Gordon Y.K. Pang
Advertiser Staff Writer
Landowner Campbell Estate has promised to front $11.2 million for two traffic improvement projects to ease the bottleneck in the burgeoning Makakilo-Kapolei region, in a move applauded by long-suffering motorists in the area.
Both projects have been on the books, but are now expected to be done by the end of next year, rather than in five to 10 years, as originally scheduled, in an apparent overture to community concerns.
About 350 residents turned out at a Makakilo Community Association meeting last month to complain about growing traffic congestion. Last week, members of the newly formed Friends of Makakilo lined the main road, urging neighbors to sign a petition calling for a moratorium on new-home construction until adequate roads and schools are built.
The improvements essentially would divert traffic from the bottleneck at Fort Barrette Road and Farrington Highway, where routes from Makakilo, Kapolei and even 'Ewa converge, by:
• Creating an on-ramp and off-ramp to connect the H-1 Freeway on the Wai'anae side with Makakilo Drive, bypassing the heart of the Kapolei commercial district for travel between Makakilo and Wai'anae on the H-1.
• Extending Manawai Street from the Kapolei state library to connect to Kama'aha Avenue, which will be extended from Fort Barrette Road to Manawai. That will give motorists another route onto the Fort BarretteiMakakilo Drive arterial that connects Makakilo and Kapolei.
Campbell Estate was expected to meet its responsibility to complete the Manawai-Kama'aha improvements over the next few years, but is speeding up the timeline in response to the resident concerns, said Campbell spokeswoman Theresia McMurdo.
The federal government and area developers, including Campbell, were to share the costs for the Makakilo interchange improvements. Campbell expects to apply the cost of those improvements to its share of required impact fees for development in the 'Ewa region, McMurdo said. Meanwhile, Campbell's initiative will allow money from the other parties to be freed up for road improvements elsewhere in the region, she said.
Residents of Kapolei and Makakilo praised the decision.
Dan Fletcher of Kapolei said it recently took him 40 minutes to leave the parking lot of the Kapolei Shopping Center because of the traffic jam on Farrington Highway.
"Right now, there's just one way home," he said. The Kama'aha-Manawai improvements will allow him to take a quick detour that avoids the FarringtoniFort Barrette intersection, he said.
Kioni Dudley, a spokesman for the Friends of Makakilo, said the improvements would have a significant impact on traffic in Makakilo and Kapolei. "It's a real boon for the people of this area," he said.
While giving kudos to Campbell, Dudley believes the corporation would not have expedited the improvements if not for public outcry.
He said the petition drive for a moratorium would continue until developers and government entities agreed to a plan to create a second arterial out of Makakilo to ease the burden on Makakilo Drive, as well as other infrastructure improvements such as more schools.
"We're not trying to stop them" from developing homes, said Lisa Reider of Makakilo. "We just want another way off this hill."
Reach Gordon Y.K. Pang at gpang@honoluluadvertiser.com or at 525-8070.
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