Use barges ADVERTISING Use barges With the impending possibility of roads becoming inundated with lava, the need for Hawaii’s Department of Transportation to have a plan for a barge harbor in Puna makai is apparent. This is the time to
Use barges
With the impending possibility of roads becoming inundated with lava, the need for Hawaii’s Department of Transportation to have a plan for a barge harbor in Puna makai is apparent.
This is the time to get things moving toward that end. Just such a plan has been suggested by residents for at least 20 years, if not longer. It is very easy now to see that need for water transportation from Hilo or Honolulu to Puna makai.
The frequency of state boating ramps that will accommodate boats with flying bridges or masts higher than 14 feet along Hawaii’s east coast will become increasingly apparent if roadway transportation is cut off and more and larger boats used for transportation is needed.
Pohoiki and Laupahoehoe are the only two, and Laupahoehoe is closed but probably could be opened for emergency use.
Wailoa River boat ramp is unusable for large boats due to bridge clearance.
I truly hope that legislators and government administrators will pay attention to our water transportation needs during a time of emergency.
John M. Luchau
Hawaiian Paradise Park
Pause the project
Our tax dollars at work: I was at the Pahoa pool facility (on Thursday), and was dumbfounded to witness a large number of heavy equipment and vehicles working diligently on the Pahoa park expansion project. Really?
County officials are telling residents that the lava flow appears to be heading directly for Pahoa village, perhaps within as little as 10 days.
That being the case, why hasn’t Public Works or the mayor’s office hit the pause button on this work until we know whether or not we’re even going to have a park facility next month?
I suggest that this wasteful activity be halted immediately, and that the equipment be redirected to provide sorely needed alternative road access to lower Puna.
Roger Meeker
Pahoa
Lava vs. election
The lava is coming. And so is the general election.
May I be the first to predict that voting irregularities will occur, once again, in Puna?
A. Yamamoto
Hilo
