Hearings set on improving old Big Island roads
Advertiser Staff
Hawai'i County officials will hold public meetings in Hamakua to discuss the paving of Ochiro and Papa'aloa roads and the safety of Old Laupahoehoe Road.
County Public Works Director Bruce McClure will discuss plans to pave Ochiro and Papa'aloa roads at 7 p.m. on March 20, at the Laupahoehoe School cafeteria.
A second meeting will be at 7 p.m., on April 25, at the Laupahoehoe School cafeteria to discuss the safety of Old Laupahoehoe Road for pedestrian use.
Ochiro and Papa'aloa roads are "roads in limbo" that the Hawai'i County Highways Division has proposed be repaired or resurfaced based on whether the road is currently accessible by emergency vehicles. "Roads in limbo" were built or planned by the State or the Territorial government. They are either existing or paper roads and are typically referred to as "government roads" or "homestead roads."
Old Laupahoehoe Road has been closed for over 10 years. The October 2006 earthquakes caused extensive landslides covering major portions of the one-mile stretch. Debris was cleared, allowing the county to assess whether the road is stable enough to reopen to pedestrian access. Originally a road for vehicle traffic, Old Laupahoehoe Road has been an "unofficial scenic trail" for pedestrians in recent years. The cleanup cost was $172,000, of which FEMA paid 75 percent and
the county paid percent. This project is one of many earthquake repair projects undertaken by the county and partially funded by FEMA.
For an extensive list of roads in limbo go to:
