Meeting Summary of the

Oahu Metropolitan Planning Organization

 

CITIZEN ADVISORY COMMITTEE

 

Wednesday, March 15, 2006, 4:00 p.m.
Mayor's Conference Room
Honolulu Hale, Room 301
530 South King Street, Honolulu, Hawaii

 

Members Present:

Committee for Balanced Transportation

Joe Magaldi, Chair

NB #10 Makiki-Lower Punchbowl-Tantalus

Charles Carole, Vice Chair

American Society of Civil Engineers

Joy Wasai

American Society of Landscape Architects

Wendie McAllaster

Castle & Cooke Homes Hawaii

Alan Suwa

Charley’s Taxi

Dale Evans

Committee for Balanced Transportation

Frank Genadio

Eye of the Pacific

Patricia Blum

Honolulu Community Action Program

Vai Leatiota

Institute of Transportation Engineers

HongLong Li

Interagency Coordination Councils Organization

CC Curry

Land Use Research Foundation

Gladys Quinto

League of Women Voters

Jacqueline Parnell

NB #02 Kuliouou-Kalani Iki

Linda Starr

NB #03 Waialae-Kahala

Lester Fukuda

NB #08 McCully-Moiliili

Janet Inamine

NB #09 Waikiki

Mike Peters

NB #14 Liliha-Alewa-Puunui-Kamehameha Heights

Donald Nitta

NB #21 Pearl City

Cruz J. Vina, Jr.

NB #22 Waipahu

Thomas Maus

NB #24 Waianae Coast

Karen Awana

NB #26 Wahiawa

Robert Kent, Ben Acohido

NB #34 Makakilo-Kapolei-Honokai Hale

Mike Golojuch

NB #35 Mililani Mauka-Launani Valley

Pamela Young

North Shore Chamber of Commerce

Gil Riviere

Pacific Resource Partnership

Richard Kane

Sierra Club Hawaii Chapter

Randy Ching

Waikiki Residents Association

Daisy Murai

 

Members Absent (Reps):

American Planning Association

Bob McGraw

E Noa Corporation

Tom Dinell

Hawaii Bicycling League

Scott Snider

Hawaii Teamsters and Allied Workers, Local 996

Michael Costa

Members Absent (Reps) - continued:

 

Hawaii Transportation Association

Gareth Sakakida

Leeward Oahu Transportation Management Association

Laura Kodama (Chair)

National Federation of the Blind

Brandon Young

NB #01 Hawaii Kai

Don Huff

NB #05 Diamond Head-Kapahulu-Saint Louis Heights

Russell Fukuhara

NB #12 Nuuanu-Punchbowl

Al Canopin, Jr. (Chair)

NB #13 Downtown

Burton White

NB #18 Aliamanu-Salt Lake-Foster Village

Larry Baird

NB #25 Mililani-Waipio-Melemanu

David Aki

NB #30 Kaneohe

Wendell Lum

Tax Foundation of Hawaii

Randall Hiu

Waianae Coast Transportation Concerns Group

Dick Boddy

 

Guests Present:

Darci Evans

Hawaii Highway Users Association

Alan R. Gano

Leeward Infrastructure Coalition

Dan Neyer

NB #26 Wahiawa

Shannon Wood

The Koolau News

 

OMPO Staff Present:

Gordon Lum (Executive Director) and Shevaun Low

 

Handouts:

  1. Draft ORTP 2030
  2. ORTP 2030:  Draft List of Modifications to Projects
  3. ORTP 2030 Comment Sheet:  Proposed Project Modifications
  4. ORTP 2030 Questionnaire:  Attitudes Toward Transportation Projects – Results of CAC Responses
  5. ORTP 2030:  Gauging Public Reaction to Proposed Transportation Solutions
  6. FYs 2006-2008 Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) Amendment #3

_____________________________________

 

Chair Joe Magaldi called the meeting to order at 4:03 p.m.  A quorum was present. 

1. Approval of Meeting Minutes

1. A.  January 18, 2006 Meeting Minutes

CC Curry moved and Pat Blum seconded that the January 18, 2006 meeting minutes be approved.  The motion carried unanimously.

1.B.  February 15, 2006 Meeting Minutes

Patricia Blum moved and CC Curry seconded that the February 15, 2006 meeting minutes be approved.  The motion carried unanimously.

2.  Oahu Regional Transportation Plan (ORTP)

Relevant Handout:  Draft ORTP 2030

 

2.A.     Oahu Regional Transportation Plan:  Report on the ORTP 2030 Island-wide Community Meeting

Gordon Lum asked members to recall that, to allow all interested CAC members to attend the island-wide community meeting, a CAC task force was created AND a CAC meeting was scheduled in conjunction with the island-wide meeting.  There was a quorum present at the ORTP island-wide community meeting held at the Hawaii Convention Center on February 15, 2006.  Because of this, there was no need to have a task force of the CAC investigate the meeting.  He thanked all CAC member organizations who attended the community meeting and to all of those who volunteered to be on the task force.

Mr. Lum said that there were over 100 community members present at the island-wide meeting.  He noted that a summary of the comments made at the meeting could be found in the February 15, 2006 CAC minutes.

2.B.  Summary of Results from the “ORTP Questionnaire:  Attitudes Toward Transportation Projects” and the Second of Two Home Telephone Surveys

Relevant Handouts:

·        ORTP 2030 Questionnaire:  Attitudes Toward Transportation Projects – Results of CAC Responses

·        ORTP 2030:  Gauging Public Reaction to Proposed Transportation Solutions (Executive Summary)

Referring to the handouts, Shevaun Low highlighted the following:

·        Widespread agreement that traffic congestion “is a serious problem” on Oahu, especially in the urban corridor from Kahala to Pearl City; and in Leeward Oahu, where over 90% of residents believe that traffic in Ewa/Leeward “is a serious problem”.

·        Regarding road widening projects, the top priorities of Oahu residents are: (1) widening the H-1 in the urban corridor, between Kahala and Pearl City; and (2) widening Farrington Highway from Waipahu to Makaha.

·        Regarding both High-Occupancy Toll lanes and Pearl Harbor Corridor projects, residents support construction of both facilities.  However, the public is not willing to pay increased taxes to fund construction.

·        Of the six secondary routes, the public left no doubt that the most beneficial would be a second access road to the Waianae Coast.

Ms. Low stated that the full set of home telephone survey results should be available for download from the OMPO website by the end of the week.

2.C.  Overview of Next Steps

Relevant Handouts:

·        ORTP 2030:  Draft List of Modifications to Projects

·        ORTP 2030 Comment Sheet:  Proposed Project Modifications

Mr. Lum summarized projects that have been modified as a result of public comments, CAC input, and the results from the home telephone survey.  Mr. Lum provided an overview of the changes made to the Draft ORTP 2030 as a result of comments received and home telephone survey results.  He highlighted the following changes:

·        Project 39,282 (Makakilo Drive Second Access):  This project has been moved from the Long-Range time frame (2016-2030) to the Mid-Range time period (2006-2015).

·        Project 34,289 (Central Mauka Road):  Right-of-way for this project will be included in the ORTP; construction will be moved to the Illustrative list.

·        Projects 357 & 509 (Waianae Second Access):  Project 357 will be deleted as the alignment proposed was to be parallel to Farrington Highway; Project 509 will be added such that second access to Waianae will be across the Waianae Mountains.

·        Three projects were added to increase the capacity along H-1:

o       Project 503:  Interstate Route H-1, Widening, Ward Avenue to Punahou Street (widen the existing Interstate Route H-1 by one lane in the east-bound direction, from Ward Avenue to Punahou Street)

o       Project 504:  Interstate Route H-1, Widening, Vineyard Boulevard to Middle Street (widen the Interstate Route H-1 by one lane in the west-bound direction, from Vineyard Boulevard to Middle Street)

o       Project 505:  Interstate Route H-1, Widening, Waiau Interchange to Waiawa Interchange (widen Interstate Route H-1 in the west-bound direction by one lane from the Waiau Interchange to the Waiawa Interchange.

Noting the Friday, March 31, 2006 deadline for comments on the Modifications to Projects List, Mr. G. Lum stated that the Policy Committee was expected to take action on the ORTP 2030 at its meeting on April 4, 2006.  This updates the previous announcement that action would be taken at the March 23, 2006 Policy Committee meeting.

[Note:  Unless otherwise specified, questions were answered by Mr. Lum.]

Discussion Highlights:

·        In response to a question from Darci Evans:  The rail transit project included in the Draft ORTP 2030 identifies a transit corridor and will not specify an alignment.

2.D.  Request for Organization Viewpoints on ORTP 2030 at March 15, 2006 CAC Meeting

Member organizations were asked for their opinions on the Draft ORTP 2030 and proposed project modifications.  Comments were limited to one-minute in length and are summarized below.  [Notes:  (1) Comments “recorded” using a lap top computer were modified slightly to be more readable; (2) if an organization gave a project number, the “Project Title” from the Draft ORTP 2030 is identified in parentheses; and (3) personal comments that were given by a member representing an organization follow the organization viewpoints.]

American Society of Civil Engineers

·        No comment.

 

American Society of Landscape Architects

·        No comment.

 

Castle & Cooke Homes Hawaii

·        Supports any projects that help with the H-1 corridor.

·        Opposes moving project #131,154 (Interstate Route H-1, Widening, Waiawa Interchange to Halawa Interchange) to the long-range plan time period.

 

Charley’s Taxi

·        Supports the following:

o       A study of impacts to the 95% of the population who will not use transit as well as the impacts to tourism, military and, construction industries.

o       Toll roads, one of which is identified as an illustrative project.

·        Questions the ridership projections and funding split between transit & highways.

 

Committee for Balanced Transportation

·        Supports the following:

o       #39,282 (Makakilo Drive, Second Access, Makakilo Drive to North-South Road/Interstate Route H-1 Interchange) move from long-range plan to mid-range plan.

o       Baseline Project S74 (North South Road, Kapolei Parkway to Vicinity of Interstate Route H-1) with a full clover leaf interchange.

o       #509 (Waianae Second Access, Farrington Highway to Kunia Road) should be moved up to mid-range from long-range time period.

o       #431B,440 (Rail Transit, Kapolei to Manoa).

o       #453 (TheBus Service Expansion, Islandwide) should move the $101.6 million in the long-range plan to the mid-range plan.

 

Eye of the Pacific

·        No comment.

 

Honolulu Community Action Program

·        No comment.

 

Institute of Transportation Engineers

·        Stated that the rail project is known as the “high-capacity transit” project.

 

Interagency Coordination Councils Organization

·        Supports the following:

o       Ferry

o       Ewa corridor for monorail

o       Ewa community bus feeder system

o       Handi Van & paratransit in compliance with existing federal laws

o       Bikeways

o       Pedestrians

·        Opposes the release of money set aside by the 2005 Legislature to study a Pearl Harbor tunnel.

 

Land Use Research Foundation

·        No comment.

 

League of Women Voters

·        Opposes rail transit because of the effect it will have on affordable housing, among other reasons.

·        Supports the following:

o       Bikeways

o       Increasing bus system

 

Leeward Oahu Transportation Management Association

·        Supports the following:

o       Any project in Central Oahu and Ewa Plain

o       Transportation Demand Management (TDM )

o       Bikeways

 

NB #02 Kuliouou-Kalani Iki

·        Opposes the following:

o       Inclusion of rail transit in ORTP

o       Rail

o       Ferry

·        Supports the following:

o       Bus

o       Transportation Systems Management (TSM) & TDM

 

NB #03 Waialae-Kahala

·        Supports the following:

o       Bikeways, because of University traffic, in a sense of reducing traffic and increasing safety

o       H-1 improvements

o       Improvements to Kalanianaole Highway

·        Wants to see rising costs of construction included in cost estimates.

 

NB #08 McCully-Moiliili

·        No comment.

 

NB #09 Waikiki

·        No comment.

 

NB #10 Makiki-Lower Punchbowl-Tantalus

·        No comment.

 

NB #14 Liliha-Alewa-Puunui-Kamehameha Heights

·        No comment.

 

NB #21 Pearl City

·        No comment.

 

NB #22 Waipahu

·        Supports the following:

o       Bike lanes

o       Anything that helps H-1

 

NB #24 Waianae Coast

·        Supports the following:

o       Project 18 (Bike Plan Hawaii)

o       Project 134,143 (Interstate Route H-1, Zipper Lane (PM), Keehi Interchange to Kunia Interchange); would like to see use in AM hours and for the project to start earlier.

o       Project 453 (TheBus Service, Expansion, Islandwide)

o       Project 447 (Waianae, Transit Center)

o       Project 60, 61 (Farrington Highway, Safety Improvements, Makaha Valley Road to Aliinui Drive)

o       Project 509 (Waianae Second Access, Farrington Highway to Kunia Road)

·        Opposes 357 (Waianae Mauka Road, Second Access, Waianae to Kapolei)

·        Needs more information about Project 65 (Farrington Highway Widening, Hakimo Road to Kalaeloa Boulevard); specifically, has questions regarding property acquisition as the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands is on one side of the roadway, and historic preservation is on the other.

 

NB #26 Wahiawa

·        Noted that, while comments are subject to Board action on March 29, supports the following:

o       Project 445 (Wahiawa, Transit Center, California Avenue)

o       Project 352 (Wahiawa, Second Access, Whitmore Avenue to Meheula Parkway) would like to see the project moved to mid-range time frame.

o       Project 6 (Ferry, Interisland Express Commuter)

o       Project 18 (Bike Plan Hawaii – Oahu)

o       Project proposals submitted by NB #25 at Feb. 15 meeting

 

NB #34 Makakilo-Kapolei-Honokai Hale

·        Supports the following:

o       Modifications made to 39,282 (Makakilo Drive, Second Access, Makakilo Drive to North-South Road, Interstate Route H-1 Interchange)

o       Infrastructure improvements in Ewa

o       Project 18 (Bike Plan Hawaii – Oahu)

o       Project 72 (Fort Barrette Road, Widening, Farrington Highway to Franklin D. Roosevelt Avenue)

o       Project 101,115,155 (Interstate Route H-1, New Interchange, Kapolei Interchange)

o       Project 109,110 (Interstate Route H-1, New On- and Off-Ramps, Makakilo Interchange)

o       Project 134,143 (Interstate Route H-1, Zipper Lane (PM), Keehi Interchange to Kunia Interchange)

o       Project 265 (Kapolei Parkway, Extension and Widening, Kamokila Boulevard to Papipi Road)

o       Project 266 (Kapolei Parkway, Extension and Widening, Aliinui Drive to Kalaeloa Boulevard)

o       Project 307 (North/South Road, Widening & Extension, Interstate Route H-1 to Franklin D. Roosevelt Avenue)

o       Project 6 (Ferry, Intra-Island Express Commuter, Ocean Pointe Marina to Honolulu Harbor)

o       Project 431B,440 (Rail Transit, Kapolei to Manoa)

o       Project 62,67 (Farrington Highway, Widening, Fort Barrette Road to west of Fort Weaver Road)

o       Project 130 (Interstate Route H-1, HOV Lanes, Waiawa Interchange to Makakilo Interchange)

o       Project 502(Kalaeloa East West Spine Road, New Roadway, Kalaeloa Boulevard to Geiger Road) & 506 (Keoneula Boulevard Extension) replacing 187,188 (Kalaeloa, Roadway Improvements, Vicinity of Barbers Point Naval Air Station)

o       Project 287 (Makakilo Mauka Frontage Road, New Roadway, Kalaeloa Boulevard to Makakilo Drive)

o       Project 357 (Waianae Mauka Road, Second Access, Waianae to Kapolei)

o       Project 509 (Waianae Second Access, Farrington Highway to Kunia Road)

·        Opposes Project 271,272,273 (Kunia Road Widening and Interchange Improvements, Wilikina Drive to Farrington Highway) if does not include adding 3rd lane town-bound.

 

NB #35 Mililani Mauka-Launani Valley

·        Supports Central Mauka Road.

 

North Shore Chamber of Commerce

·        Supports the following:

o       Project 242 (Kamehameha Highway, Safety Improvements, Haleiwa to Kahaluu); needs to include turn lanes; Turtle Bay improvements will impact.

o       Project 333 (Rockfall Protection, Various Locations)

o       Project 18 (Bike Plan Hawaii – Oahu)

·        Disappointed that, in amendments to ORTP, improvements to Laniakea not included.

 

Pacific Resource Partnership

·        Supports the following:

o       Light rail

o       Project 603 (System Preservation)

 

Sierra Club Hawaii Chapter