A recent Tribune-Herald opinion piece (“Truth about Puna makai alternate route,” June 26) criticized our advocacy for an alternate route, or PMAR, out of lower Puna. We thank Shipman Estates President Bill Walter for addressing this issue, now especially urgent after the lava threat, the closure last December of our only access road due to an accident and the news that the widening of Highway 130 to Pahoa will be delayed for a decade or more.
A recent Tribune-Herald opinion piece (“Truth about Puna makai alternate route,” June 26) criticized our advocacy for an alternate route, or PMAR, out of lower Puna. We thank Shipman Estates President Bill Walter for addressing this issue, now especially urgent after the lava threat, the closure last December of our only access road due to an accident and the news that the widening of Highway 130 to Pahoa will be delayed for a decade or more.
This discussion began at a June candidate forum in Pahoa, viewable here: www.bigislandvideonews.com.
The need for a PMAR is not our idea; it’s established public policy. In 2002, a successful civil rights lawsuit found that Puna is underserved. In response, the county created the Puna Regional Circulation Plan, which identified the need for a PMAR. This recommendation was included in the Puna Community Development Plan.
Mr. Walter incorrectly represented the details of a bike/walk/emergency route along old Railroad Avenue. This would be a “Rails-to-Trails” conversion of a historically used right of way. It would not bisect Hawaiian Paradise Park, removing those concerns, and would not allow public vehicular access, thus not increasing farm theft. This proposal was developed to address the concerns of Shipman and others while providing relief to our community. This is not the PMAR; it is an interim measure that would attract tourism, improve our health and reduce traffic on the state’s deadliest road.
Farm theft is an issue everywhere. To increase security, cameras installed on the road would record every vehicle passing, part of our Rails-to-Trails proposal from the start.
A new road also allows more rapid police response. And an alternate emergency route would benefit farmers who need to get their produce to market when the main road is blocked — as well as getting workers to their jobs, school kids to home and patients to medical facilities.
Puna still has no emergency room; we were very lucky no one needed to be rushed to Hilo Medical Center when an accident closed Highway 130 for six hours in December. But we cannot count on luck as public policy. Yes, ag theft is a concern — but it pales in comparison to the very real concerns raised by a blocked road that’s the only way in or out for 30,000 people. Puna is not only the fastest-growing district in the state, it is also the most disaster-prone.
On several past occasions, Shipman has been a welcome partner with the lower Puna community. At other times, though, its notion of “cooperation” looks more like the company’s own development plans. Shipman’s vision of Puna has always been Keaau-centric; it apparently wants all traffic to go through its company town forever, regardless of inconvenience and safety hazards.
That vision, however, conflicts with reality: Puna requires an alternate route in and out. Shipman should help choose the route, but must not block the community’s needs.
Not mentioned in the article is the fact that Shipman is a major supporter of a candidate opposing one of us in this election. That this candidate’s views are the same as Shipman’s is the larger issue at play here.
As the elected state representatives of lower Puna, we are working to solve the most urgent challenge we face – an alternate route out of Puna. Instead of attacking us with inaccurate information, a good neighbor would come to the table and work out the details to best serve our community.
We invite Mr. Walter to become a true partner to our community, instead of an adversary. Our community’s genuine needs cannot be discarded because of the interests of any corporation.
Russell Ruderman is a state senator and Joy San Buenaventura is a state representative. Both represent Puna.