Public Asked to Help Prioritize Federal Transportation Spending

The deadline for helping the state prioritize its projects by taking the survey is June 28.

Big Island roads can be as much sources of frustration as they are avenues of transportation, but the public does have some say about it.

The state has organized a survey for people to prioritize which federally funded road projects should be tackled over the next four years as part of the State Transportation Improvement Program, or STIP. The survey describes 23 specific highway, rockfall mitigation, guardrail and shoulder improvements and bridge programs, as well as islandwide improvement programs and mass transit projects.

“Community engagement is a big part of our required federal process to get federal highway and transit funds for the state,” Harry Takiue, engineering program manager in the state Department of Transportation’s Hawaii District Office, told participants in a remote public coordination meeting last month...

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By Nancy Cook Lauer West Hawaii Today ncook-lauer@westhawaiitoday.com | Tues., June 8, 2021

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More information about the STIP process can be found at https:// hidot.hawaii.gov/highways

Major West Hawaii projects, along with estimated total project cost, on the list: H S2
. Daniel K. Inouye Highway Extension, Mamalahoa Highway to Queen Kaahumanu Highway, $100 million — New roadway and/or realignment and extending Daniel K. Inouye Highway from the Kona terminus at Mamalahoa Highway to the Queen Kaahumanu Highway.

H S18
. Kuakini Highway Intersection Improvements at Lako Street, $1.5 million — Intersection operational improvements at Kuakini Highway and Lako Street to improve traffic flow and congestion.

H S16
. Kawaihae Road Waiaka Stream Bridge Replacement and Realignment of Approaches $14.7 million — Replacing the existing Waiaka Stream Bridge, realigning the bridge approaches, reconstructing the Route 19/Route 250 intersection and installing safety improvements.

H S23
. Waimea Regional Safety Improvements $24 million — Improve vehicular congestion and safety for multimodal users by constructing a roundabout, bicycle and pedestrian facilities, median turn lanes, and signal timing adjustment.

Major East Hawaii projects, along with estimated total project cost, on the list: H S14
. Hilo Bayfront Highway, Intersection Improvements at Waianuenue Avenue $7.3 million.

H S15
. Kamehameha Avenue Intersection Improvements at Lihiwai Street and Manono Street $1.5 million.

H S17
. Keaau-Pahoa Road Improvements, Keaau Bypass to Pahoa-Kapoho Road $140 million.

H S4
. Hawaii Belt Road, Bridge Rehabilitation/Replacement, Hakalau Bridge $37.5 million.

H S5
. Hawaii Belt Road, Bridge Repair, Kolekole Stream Bridge $28 million.

H S6
. Hawaii Belt Road, Bridge Replacement, Wailuku Bridge $30 million.