The county Planning Department wants input on a draft version of its Downtown Hilo improvement plan, which recommends converting multiple roads from one-way to two-way and more than doubling off-street public parking spaces.
The county Planning Department wants input on a draft version of its Downtown Hilo improvement plan, which recommends converting multiple roads from one-way to two-way and more than doubling off-street public parking spaces.
The public review period for the Downtown Hilo Multimodal Master Plan Public Review Draft runs through March 6. Community members also can attend a meeting Feb. 15 that will include an open house, a presentation and a chance to weigh in.
“Public participation is always important in the planning process,” said department planner Hans Santiago.
“So we appreciate and want to get feedback from the public.”
The nearly 300-page plan aims to make Downtown Hilo more pedestrian and bike friendly, add parking and improve connectivity between Downtown Hilo and the Bayfront, among other things.
Some of its more than 70 proposed changes include:
• Converting several major downtown roads from one-way to two way including Keawe Street, Kinoole Street, Wailuku Drive, Kalakaua Avenue, Frontage Road and a portion of Ululani Street.
• Adding roundabouts in seven locations: Haili Street at Kamehameha Avenue, Haili Street at Frontage Road, Kilauea Avenue at Ponahawai Street, Kinoole and Wailuku streets, Ponahawai Street and Kamehameha Avenue, Ponahawai Street and Bayfront Highway and Bayfront Highway and Waianuenue Avenue.
Roundabouts would slow down cars thus making the area safer for pedestrians and bikers, the plan says.
• Finishing roadway extensions at Ululani, Mamo and Ponahawai streets.
• Increasing the number of off-street public parking spaces from 309 to 649. That would happen by constructing a new lot on Ponahawai Street (eventually expanded to a parking structure), adding parking through privately operated lots and building another new surface lot.
The plan also recommends a “residential parking permit program” for downtown residents and adjusting parking time limits that would encourage long-term parkers to use lots and keep short-term street spaces open for those visiting businesses.
• Adding a downtown shuttle (separate from Hele-On Bus) to operate from lots to downtown and, eventually, service from as far as Hilo International Airport and the University of Hawaii at Hilo.
• Installing sheltered transit stops, creating a downtown “mobile app” and improving security at the Mooheau Terminal with more lighting and gates.
• Planting small trees in curb extensions throughout downtown, adding lighting along key streets including Keawe Street and Frontage Road and adding pedestrian promenades, which are paved areas reserved strictly for pedestrians.
Implementing changes — divided into three priority “phases” — is partly contingent on funding and feasibility.
“Overall, it’s just great the county is taking the time to really investigate some of the issues that there are to come up with a long-term plan,” said Mathew Estrada, board member for the Hilo Downtown Improvement Association, one of the organizations that has offered input during the past two years while the plan has been in discussion.
“From what we’ve seen, this is a really good step in getting the downtown area to where we need it to be.”
The final plan ultimately will require approval from the County Council. Santiago said there’s no date set as to when that will happen.
Comments can be emailed to downtownhilo@hawaiicounty.gov, or mailed to the County of Hawaii Planning Department: 101 Pauahi St., Suite 3, Hilo, HI 96720.
The Feb. 15 meeting is from 4:30-7:30 p.m. at the Mokupapapa Discovery Center, 76 Kamehameha Ave. The meeting will include open house displays and a presentation of the draft starting at 5 p.m. Discussion and input are encouraged.
The full plan can be found at: http://tinyurl.com/DowntownHiloPlan.
Email Kirsten Johnson at kjohnson@hawaiitribune-herald.com.