WAILUKU - When the state Legislature convenes Wednesday, members of Maui's delegation said not to expect the pronouncement of any shocking new capital improvement projects, The Maui News reported today.

nstead, they - as well as Gov. Linda Lingle - have said they will be focused on finally starting construction on 270 previously approved Maui County projects valued at more than $295 million.

Both Lingle and state legislators said they want to see more than 1,500 projects across the state that have already been in the pipeline for some time under way within the next 18 months as part of a Hawaii economic stimulus package. Much of the ambitious program would be paid for through general obligation bonds and federal funding.

That's not to say that there aren't a few pet projects that lawmakers believe their constituents deserve to have added to Lingle's list for the $1.85 billion Public Infrastructure Improvement Plan. The Republican governor has also put together a $2.95 billion capital improvement budget through 2011 that includes many of the projects in the stimulus plan she put together with lawmakers.

Both the House and the Senate have been preoccupied with plotting strategies in pre-session meetings in Honolulu to deal with the massive operating budget deficit. Legislators said they will take on capital improvement projects once the session gets moving.

"One of the easiest strategies to jump-start the economy is to fund capital improvement projects," said Rep. Kyle Yamashita, who represents Upcountry. "But we also must balance our wants with our actual needs. We don't want to create too much debt for future generations."

Several members of Maui County's nine-member, all Democrat delegation said that Lingle has held off on allocating many of the previously approved capital improvement projects for budgetary reasons that often go unexplained.

In an entirely separate stimulus package - at the request of President-elect Barack Obama's administration - Maui County has asked the federal government for assistance in funding 58 county capital projects totaling about $200 million for things such as county parks, roads and water reservoirs.

The bulk of the state projects that should get funding this session involve Kahului Harbor, Kahului Airport, widening Honoapiilani Highway, building the Lahaina Bypass and renovating dozens of public schools.

The proposed $38 million airport access road would run between Wal-Mart and Lowe's as a means to relieve traffic on Dairy Road, said Rep. Joe Bertram III, who represents South Maui. Lingle also put in her capital improvement budget $27.3 million for a Kihei high school.

"I'll keep dogging it (Kihei high school) and making sure it gets done," said Bertram, who added that Kihei's existing three schools need repairs as well.

Rep. Angus McKelvey, who represents West Maui-North Kihei, said that, like Bertram, his top concerns rest with the schools. Both he and state Sen. Roz Baker, who represents West Maui-South Maui, would continue to advocate for a $6 million cafeteria for Lahainaluna High School, a project they said the administration does not support.

Baker also wants the Department of Education to partner with the Lahainaluna High School Foundation in its effort to build a stadium and track.

However, Lingle's 2009-2011 capital improvement budget does contain pages and pages of allocations both large and minute to the Department of Education to repair and renovate almost all Maui County schools.

Rep. Joe Souki, chairman of the House of Representatives Transportation Committee, said another potential wrinkle could be a request for planning and design money for the long-discussed Upcountry-Kihei bypass. A decade after the highway connector was first proposed, Souki, who represents Kahakuloa-Wailuku-Waikapu, said that the environmental impact statement is nearly complete.

The shortcut is favored by U.S. Sen. Dan Inouye, who will be chairman of the powerful Senate Appropriations Committee, who has introduced legislation in which the federal government would cover 80 percent of the project's estimated $200 million price. The state would be responsible for the rest.

However, the Upcountry-Kihei bypass, which links Haleakala Highway to Lipoa Street, isn't without critics. Bertram said that if it isn't done right, the bypass could promote development on ranch lands and forests and detrimentally bisect a growing Hawaiian Homelands community.

If it's to be done, Bertram - who is more a proponent of beefing up public transportation - said he would rather see a simple two-lane highway built.

Souki said another gargantuan project that the state Department of Transportation should tackle is widening to four lanes Honoapiilani Highway all the way from Lahaina to Maalaea. Just the first phase between Lahainaluna and Aholo roads is estimated to cost $25 million. Work is scheduled to begin in August.

The initial phase of the Lahaina Bypass is estimated to cost $48 million to go a short distance from the future Keawe Street extension to Lahainaluna Road. McKelvey and Lingle optimistically said they hope construction will initiate this year.

After many starts and stops, the Lahaina Bypass has most recently stalled after the discovery of Native Hawaiian archaeological sites and opposition from those who fear the bypass - which proponents say is necessary to mitigate congestion - will lead to further development in West Maui.

Yamashita agreed with Lingle, Souki, Bertram and other local lawmakers that harbor and airport improvements top the priorities list. One other project that Yamashita said he'd like to see done in his 12th District is repainting the aging Kula Hospital.

Lingle proposed spending $40 million to purchase land around Kahului Harbor as well as possibly dedicating another $17 million for new ferry and cruise ship slips and terminals as well as a breakwater extension and dredging. However, she has put on hold the slip construction after it met stiff community opposition and Norwegian Cruise Lines cut its service to Maui.

McKelvey also said that Lingle recently released millions that the Legislature approved last year for improvements to the Lahaina Harbor and Mala Boat Ramp.

Rep. Mele Carroll, chairwoman of the Hawaiian Affairs Committee, said she would like to see added to the governor's budget $8 million to begin construction of six classrooms for Lanai High and Elementary School. The $16 million project can't begin unless it's funded in full, Carroll said.

Carroll, who represents East Maui-Lanai-Molokai-Kalaupapa-Kahoolawe, said she'd also like to see more money dedicated toward water source development on Hawaiian Homelands as well as significant repairs made to the Molokai Irrigation System.

Baker also supports Carroll's efforts to develop more water sources for the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands, calling it necessary to continue the affordable housing initiative for the host culture.

"We we've got a full plate," said Souki, the senior legislator from Maui and former House speaker.

Efforts by The Maui News to reach state Sens. Shan Tsutui and J. Kalani English were unsuccessful Saturday afternoon.

Legislators already approved the following projects in past sessions. The projects are identified below with their estimated costs and target dates for construction to start.

On Maui, 217 projects totaling $259.84 million in value include:

* Maalaea Small Boat Harbor ferry system improvements, $16.85 million, January 2009.

* Honoapiilani Highway realignment Phase 1A, future Keawe Street extension to Lahainaluna Road (Lahaina Bypass, Phase 1A), $48 million, January 2009.

* Hana Ramp and Wharf improvements to revetment/boat ramp and Americans with Disabilities Act barrier removal, $7.07 million, May 2009.

* Maui Community College Science Building, $21.5 million, July 2009.

* Honoapiilani Highway widening, Lahainaluna Road to Aholo Road, $25 million, August 2009.

* Keokea-Waiohuli Phase I, 25 to 75 housing units, developer-financed for Department of Hawaiian Home Lands, $7.5 million, August 2009.

* Kahului Airport access road, $38 million, November 2009.

On Molokai, 35 projects totaling $25.96 million in value include:

* Kalaupapa Settlement Phase 2 harbor-facility repairs and improvements, $925,303, December 2008.

* Kalaupapa Settlement Nursing Facility, various improvements, $405,000, April 2009.

* Molokai Airport aircraft rescue and firefighting station improvements, $6.31 million, June 2009.

* Kaunakakai Harbor ferry, Molokai Ferry System improvements, $6.41 million, December 2010.

On Lanai, 18 projects totaling $9.28 million in value include:

* Lanai Airport general aviation apron, $6.26 million, December 2008.

* Pu'u Kilea Radio Facility, building addition and other improvements, Information and Communication Services Division, $1.17 million, February 2009.

* Chris Hamilton can be reached at chamilton@mauinews.com.