Hawaii County’s proposed capital improvement budget includes more than $64 million to revamp two heavily used roads in West Hawaii.
Mayor Mitch Roth’s proposed CIP budget for fiscal year 2022-23 as currently amended would allocate for repaving and rehabilitation some $42 million for Waikoloa Road in South Kohala and $22 million for Hina Lani Street in Kailua-Kona. Bill 126, draft 2, is set for its second reading on Thursday during a special meeting of the Hawaii County Council.
The 12-mile Waikoloa Road rehabilitation project is estimated to cost $42 million, of which $8.4 million would be allocated by the county’s with the remaining $33.6 million coming from the federal government. That is a cost of $3.5 million per mile.
Kohala Councilman Tim Richards said the “need for this project is without question,” particularly in the wake of the state shelving plans to extend Daniel K. Inouye Highway from its terminus at Mamalahoa Highway to Queen Kaahumanu Highway.
”The road was never originally built to handle the volume of traffic that it does today,” he said. “Had the Daniel K. Inouye extension gone through, the traffic volume would have been reduced, but currently, Waikoloa Road is the connector between East and West Hawaii.”
Richards said the critical project had been scheduled for 2023, however, the project was moved up in priority after working with the state Department of Transportation and Hawaii County Department of Public Works.
“I was able to get it moved up to second quarter 2022, which is right now. Funding was the concern, but again, working with our Finance Department and State DOT, we were able to secure the County match and the State STIP funds. My expectation is the project will go out to bid very shortly,” he said.
The 3.65-mile Hina Lani Street rehabilitation project is estimated to cost $22 million, with $17.6 million coming from the federal government and the remaining $4.4 million contributed from the county.
“This is a much needed project for West Hawaii,” said North Kona Councilman Holeka Inaba, whose district includes Hina Lani.
The cost per mile for the Hina Lani project is nearly double that of Waikoloa Road at $6 million.
Department of Public Works spokesperson Sherise Kanae-Kane said the difference in cost per mile is due to the fact that the Hina Lani project includes drainage work, while Waikoloa Road does not.
“The county is continuing to work with HDOT to secure funding for these two very important projects. Placing them on the FY2022 STIP list indicates the County’s desire to move forward with both projects,” she said.
