KAUAI CHANGES
Kauai is growing and there are changes that are
coming. We do not know
them all because we are not that smart, not that well
connected and we
have other better things to do. Maybe you know even less than
us, so we
will share some of the stuff we know and maybe one day you will share
with us. That seems fair !!
KAPAA BYPASS ROAD: This is a
State Road to bypass the
traffic of Kapaa Town. This bypass will also bypass
most of the businesses
located in Kapaa Town. In the past the Kapaa Business
owners have been
against this road, but maybe they have changed their thoughts
due to the
increased and slowed traffic through their town.
There are three phases of this Bypass Road. The center phase (albeit
temporary)
is completed and is being used. It begins at the Kapaa Ballpark
on Olohena Road
and ends at Kuhio Highway right near Papaloa Road.
The North phase is completed. It is a one way road in a Southerly direction
from Kuhio Highway at the extreme North end of Kapaa town. It travels
fairly parallel to Kuhio Highway until it reaches the Kapaa Ballpark where
there is a round-about connection with Olohena Road and the center phase
(or first phase) of the entire Bypass. The South (3rd) Phase is the problem,
as it is
the most costly and the most complex. There were some 50 alternatives
of where
this end of the Bypass should end and there has been an
Environmental Impact
Study (EIS) being worked on for some time now.
The "Draft EIS" should have been completed in mid-2004. It should have
had
only about three alternative routes to
be considered. After that there is a public
comment/discussion period to see
what the community desires. Then the
powers that be should have issued the "Final
EIS" in or near late-2004.
After that there was still a time for public
comment, with the Final-Final being
out in early 2005. The biggest issue
is A) to install a new bridge over the Wailua
River at
a much higher elevation than the current bridge which is just above sea
level,
or B) to do something with or near the existing bridge, or C) a third
possibility?? .. maybe a new bridge at a little higher elevation, but lower than
choice #A.
All of the above was supposed to happen.
Apparently the State DOT had some
problems with the company that was hired to perform the EIS. Due to some
apparent changes in federal laws regarding wet-land areas, the company
that was hired was not capable of completing the EIS. There are some
wet-lands in this area. So, the State DOT has now had to locate and hire a new
more qualified company to perform the EIS. We are not currently aware of the
status of this now, very delayed situation.
Check back later to this site for more future stuff ...
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