U.S. Sen. Brian Schatz plans to visit Hawaii Volcanoes National Park on Friday to discuss the creation of a two-lane alternate route into the park for lower Puna residents impacted by the June 27 lava flow.
U.S. Sen. Brian Schatz plans to visit Hawaii Volcanoes National Park on Friday to discuss the creation of a two-lane alternate route into the park for lower Puna residents impacted by the June 27 lava flow.
So far, the park authorized only a one-lane, gravel emergency evacuation route along a portion of Chain of Craters Road buried by recent lava flows.
But Hawaii County officials say that won’t cut it should all other access points be claimed by the current flow, now about 1.9 miles from Pahoa Village Road.
Mayor Billy Kenoi and Hawaii Island’s Congressional delegation have worked on the issue for weeks, but park officials say they are sticking with a one-lane road because that offers the least impact to park resources and can be done without an environmental review.
“A more complete environmental analysis that would have been required for a two-lane road would have taken much longer and likely required a full Environmental Impact Statement,” Cindy Orlando, park superintendent, said in an email.
“… The National Park Service supports this action as the only viable option to meet the emergency need.”
In a statement, Schatz said he is working closely with Kenoi, the park service, U.S. Department of Interior and U.S. Rep. Tulsi Gabbard on the issue. He plans to meet with county and park officials during the visit.
“The situation is complicated from both a legal and a civil engineering standpoint,” Schatz said.
“… All parties remain committed to exploring a workable solution to this problem.”
Sen. Mazie Hirono also is speaking with the federal Highway Administration and National Park Service about the issue, her office said.
Nearly 8 miles of Chain of Craters Road has been covered by lava flows between 1989-2013. About 5.4 miles of that is within the park.
Creating the alternate route there is expected to cost between $12.5 million and $14.5 million. The county is paying for that cost upfront, but might receive state and federal reimbursement later.
Gaining the park’s support for a two-lane road remains critical since the route could become the only way to access lower Puna by car if the current lava flow reaches Highway 130 and alternate routes farther downslope, county officials say.
“That’s why Chain of Craters is so important,” said Darryl Oliveira, county Civil Defense administrator. “We don’t have many other options.”
Boat access at Pohoiki remains limited in regard to capacity and airstrips once used by the sugar plantation have been difficult to find, he said.
Conversations continue with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers about building a bridge over the highway if it is crossed by the lava flow, though it remains unclear how viable an option that is.
Or how safe.
“We will weigh all the safety concerns with considering the bridge,” Oliveira said. “We will never do something that puts the public at risk.”
Chain of Craters Road, which runs through the park, was constructed as a two-lane road in 1965 and was first covered by lava four years later, according to the park.
It was realigned in 1979 and covered by lava again that year and in 1980. It was repaired once more, but after flows began covering it again in 1989, the park decided to not rebuild it, Orlando said.
While park officials refer to the path under construction as an “emergency evacuation route,” Oliveira said it will need to serve a higher function, especially if people decide to stay in lower Puna.
“Evacuation implies it’s a one-way direction and we are telling people to leave,” he said.
“I think what the community members shared is people would like to stay if it poses no imminent harm and safety concerns. And, for too many of them, they don’t have a choice … They just can’t pick up and leave.”
Email Tom Callis at tcallis@hawaiitribune-herald.com.