Safer Shoulder Walkways - Phase 2
2017 - 2022 | Project Manager: Antu Harvey
Phase 1 accomplished:
Organized Hōlualoa community scoping (especially the nearby owners/occupants along the highway & Holualoa Elementary School) -
Created ʻShave & Paveʻ in front of the school, a ʻwalking shoulderʻ, and ʻEnhanced School Zoneʻ - 2017-2019
Collaboration with County: Districts 7/8 County Council, Kona: House/State Representatives - since 2017
Working with Neil Azevedo, County Highways Chief and Dale Gomes, Kona roadways overseer as our main contact and paths towards success 2019 - present
Phase 2 (after COVID) - Please volunteer to help and/or donate!
Held multiple community workshops (starting 9/22/22); interested in adding one and raising three crosswalks. better signage near the curve. (no new volunteers or donations to help) - 2022
Developed a vision the community participants were comfortable with. (Note: No interest in helping address the Parking issue. Still unresolved with changes in 2021 when the ʻluaʻ lot sold and Mayor Roth told us in person “the County had no interest in purchasing that lot” they had leased 10+ years for village parking). - 2022
Neil and Dale graciously accepted our vision for Phase 2 and cut, trimmed, and erected flexi safety bollards on County owned area. Engineers approvals still pending with water flow, safety and visibility in mind. - 2022
DPW is expected to repave in summer 2024 and re-stripe the road, complete the shoulders ʻwalking pathʻ south of the curve (participating community members in the northern part of the village didnʻt want this pedestrian safety accommodation)
Comment: Neil and Dale were extremely thoughtful on recognizing how Phase 1 & 2 would impact our children, their families and our elders. They have taken the time to listen, respond & carve out time for us with multiple site visits since 2017 to see, feel, envision and understand our community safety concerns. Neil’s “let’s make it right and safe for our keiki and Ohana” attitude was met with Dales, long standing in-depth knowledge of Hōlualoa ahupua’a relationships, the history, changes in ownership and water flow was an impressive and inspiring collaborative experience.
