Saddle Road | Paper - Kona Kohala Chamber of Commerce

Saddle Road

Issue

Saddle Road is an important cross-island link. Up until the mid-1900s no real attempt had been made to improve the roadway beyond its original path built during World War II. Conflicting civilian-military uses coupled with roadway deficiencies and capacity limitations contributed to growing safety concerns. Construction projects are either complete or underway from milepost 6 to 42.

Due to the purchase of the vast Keamuku land parcel by the military in 2006, the western section of the project, from the “Seven Steps” area near milepost 42 to its connection with

Mamalahoa Highway, has not yet been scheduled for design or construction. Keamuku included the area initially planned for the western section of

Saddle Road. The western section of the new

Saddle Road must be relocated about a mile southwest to avoid civilian-military use conflicts.

Position

Kona-Kohala Chamber of Commerce strongly supports the development of roadway infrastructure. The new

Saddle Road will minimize conflicts between military and public uses, provide a safe and efficient route, and address roadway deficiencies.

Kona-Kohala Chamber of Commerce supports the detailed evaluation and selection of the roadway alternative that is most suitable and efficient for the completion of the new

Saddle Road. Relocation of the western section of the new

Saddle Road alignment (W-7) towards the southern boundary of Keamuku is appropriate and should be accomplished as rapidly as possible.

Kona-Kohala Chamber of Commerce

Royal Hawaiian Movers

Hawaii Water Service Co.

Hawaii Community Federal Credit Union

SunQuest