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Waipahu awaits
'lifeline' roadA 1,000-foot extension
Roadwork By Mary Adamski
of Mokuola Street will open
access between Waikele and
old Waipahu town
Star-BulletinA stretch of Waipahu road that formerly led to exclusive plantation homes will be rebuilt to become a major thoroughfare to subdivisions that replaced sugar cane.
The planned 1,000-foot extension of Mokuola Street, which will open access between old Waipahu town and Waikele, was the top priority of the Waipahu Vision 2000 team.
The city has already funded the $1.4 million construction project due to begin next year.
Public comments for the environmental assessment must be sent by Aug. 7 to the city Department of Design and Construction.
"The only comment they're likely to hear is, 'How soon can you make it happen?'" said Waipahu Neighborhood Board Chairwoman Annette Yamaguchi."It's a very important lifeline for the economic development of this community," Yamaguchi said. "We can finally link Waipahu and Waikele and the other subdivisions that are all Waipahu communities. As it is, they are all segmented.
"You can imagine the frustration, not only for the thousands who live in those communities, but there's a whole bunch of people who want easier access to Waikele Shopping Center," she said.
The short stretch of road to be completed is the last piece of a jigsaw puzzle. Mauka of Hiapo Street is a completed roadway and ready-to-use bridge over the H-1 freeway, which the city required Amfac/JMB Hawaii, developers of Waikele, to build. "The community kept threatening to call it the $10 million road to nowhere," Yamaguchi laughed.
Makai of the city segment is roadway already being developed by Alexander & Baldwin through its industrial subdivision.
Mokuola Street now extends from Farrington Highway to the old Oahu Sugar Mill site and the Leeward YMCA.
The dirt road that led above the mill was formerly called Managers Drive, leading to sugar executives' grand homes upslope during the plantation days. Yamaguchi said some community leaders hope to eventually have Mokuola Street renamed Managers Drive to commemorate Waipahu's history.
The draft environmental impact statement prepared by PBR Hawaii points out that the Mokuola Street extension has been proposed in several planning documents as a second access between upslope communities and Waipahu.
The existing access route, Paiwa Street, is a four-lane roadway in Waikele but narrows to two lanes from Hiapo Street to Farrington Highway.
Planned this week on Oahu: Roadwork
LEEWARD OAHU
Ewa Beach
Old Fort Weaver and North roads; Fort Weaver Road from Farrington Highway to Hanakahi Street; Farrington Highway from Piliokoe Bridge to Kahe Power Plant in the vicinity of Tracks Beach Park; and Fort Weaver Road at Renton Road and near Kahua Ranch Nursery.
Makakilo
H-1 from Palehua Separation to Waikele Bridge.
Maili
Mynah Street and Place; Monilial Place; and Heleuma, Okokomo and Okohola streets.
Waianae
Hakalina Road from Pahihi to Puhawai roads.
CENTRAL OAHU
Kunia
Vicinity of Kunia Interchange to Waikele Stream Bridge; H-1 Freeway and Kunia and Fort Weaver roads in the vicinity of Kunia Interchange; and Kunia Road from Anonui Street to South Kupuna Loop.
Pupukea
Kamehameha Improvements at Pupukea Road; and Pahoe Road to Kapuhi Street.
Waialua
Intersection of Wilikina Drive and Kamananui Road.
Wahiawa
Ilima Street.
Waipio
Farrington Highway, Leoole to Awanui streets; and Paiwa to Leoku streets.
Mililani
Lanikuhana Avenue.
Waipahu
Lumiaina Street from the Board of Water Supply Waipahu Wells II facility on Kukula Street to its facility on Lumiaina Street; Kahuanui Street between Kahuanani and Kahuahale streets; Kahuanani Street between Kahuanui and Kahu streets; Kahuanui Street from Paiwa to Kahuanani streets; Waipahu Depot Road from Haakoa Place to the Waipahu Incinerator; Pupuole Place; and Awaia, Awanei, Awanui, Paiwa and Pupuole streets.
Aiea
Kaonohi Street between Alania and Kahapili streets; Kahapili Street between Kaonohi and Kaonohi streets; Moanalua Road from the channel to Pali Momi Street; Maohu Place; and Akaaka, Ilee, Kulawai, Neki, Ulune and Kaamilo streets.
Pearl City
Kamehameha Highway from Acacia Road to Honomanu Street; and Spine Road.
HONOLULU
Foster Village
Halupa Street from Haloa Drive to Punihi Street.
Pearl Harbor
Near Arizona Memorial.
Kalihi
Skyline Drive; Ashford, Lima, Kamalii and Hillcrest streets; and Gulick Avenue.
Nuuanu
Pali Highway at Jack Lane; and Ahi to Niolopa places.
Kakaako
Keawe Street on Ala Moana, South and Queen streets, and Nimitz Highway and River Street to end at Hotel Street; and Rycroft Street from Birch to Piikoi streets.
Kapiolani
Kapiolani Interchange; Kapiolani Boulevard between Old Waialae Road and King Street; and S. King Street at the Kapiolani Intersection.
Moiliili
Date Street between Isenberg Street and University Avenue.
Punahou/University
H-1 from vicinity of Punchbowl Offramp to Kapiolani Interchange; Bingham from Punahou to Isenberg streets; and Lunalilo Street from Liholiho to Kaihee and Ernest to Pensacola streets.
Waialae
Kaimoku Place and Way; Ainakoa Avenue to West Hind Drive; Kalanianaole Highway from Ainakoa Avenue to Laukahi Street; Waialae Interchange to Ainakoa Avenue.
Kaimuki
Narcissus Place.
Waikiki
Ala Wai Boulevard from Ala Moana to Kalakaua Avenue; and Kalakaua Avenue from Kaiulani to Kapahulu Avenue.
Wilhelmina Rise
Maunahilu, Pakolu and Pili places; and Paula Drive between Maunahilu Place and Iwi Way.
Niu Valley
Paiko Drive and Niuiki Circle.
Kuliouou
Kuliouou Road, and Keoki, Pahukula and Wakine places.
Makapuu
Kalanianaole Highway from Makapuu Lookout to Kealahou Street.
WINDWARD OAHU
Kaneohe
Kahekili, Kamehameha and Likelike highways from Waihee Road to Kaneohe Bay Drive; Lihika and Laenani drives and the section of Kamehameha Highway connecting the two streets; Mapele Place and Road; Ahilani, Ahuimanu and Pulama roads; and 45-637 Uhilehua Streets.
Kahaluu
Ahuimanu, Ahilama and Pulama roads; Kialua, Hoopai and Poomau streets; Mapele Place and Road; and Kamehameha Highway from Lihikai to Laenani drives.
Kailua
Auloa Road from Castle Junction to near Lunaai Street; Halekou to Kaneohe Marine Corps Base interchanges; Kalaheo Avenue between Wilikoki and Kaiholu places; and Aumoe Street.
Waimanalo
Kumuhau Street from Waikupanaha to Mahailua streets; Waipahu Street from Amokii Street to Waikele Road; and Humuniki Street.
OTHER
Chinese Celebration/Religious Blessing
Noon Saturday, Smith Street between Hotel and King streets will be closed.
Jodo Mission Bon Lantern Procession
Twenty vehicles, 8 p.m. Sunday. Begins on Makiki Street and continues along Beretania Street, Ward Avenue, Ala Moana/Nimitz Highway and Pacific Street to Pier 18.
