|
Ewa’s bad traffic Tesha Malama first heard about the construction of an alternate road for motorists to enter and exit Ewa Beach while she was a senior at Campbell High School.
may worsen when
’04 road projects begin
By Rosemarie Bernardo
rbernardo@starbulletin.com
That was 20 years ago.
"This has taken way too long," said Malama, member of the Ewa Neighborhood Board and Oahu Metropolitan Planning Organization's citizens advisory committee.
State officials are moving forward on that alternate route, the $152 million North-South Road, said Glenn Yasui, highways administrator for the state Department of Transportation.
At the same time, the state is also hoping to widen Fort Weaver Road.
Work on the first-phase of 2.2 mile North-South Road and the $24.6 million Fort Weaver Road widening project are both expected to start in May 2004.
For years, traffic along Fort Weaver Road has been a major problem for Ewa and Ewa Beach residents with the growth in housing developments.
The first phase of the North-South Road is expected to take two years to complete with the entire project to be done in 2008. Yasui said the Fort Weaver Road widening project is expected to be completed by early 2006.
"Right now, we're on schedule," said Yasui, adding that the state has started designs for the first phase of the North-South Road.
Yasui said the timetable for the roadway projects depends on when the state receives federal funds.
"Roughly, it's an 80 percent federal and 20 percent state cost-sharing," Yasui said. "We're hopeful that the widening of Fort Weaver Road will progress as planned."
One lane in each direction is expected to be added to Fort Weaver Road. Construction on the first phase of the six-lane North-South Road project include three lanes -- one lane in each direction with the center lane to be used as a contra flow during peak traffic. Cost for the first phase is estimated at $90 million, Yasui said.
Malama believes it's a bad idea to start both roadway projects at the same time.
"That's really going to kill us," she said. "We really want it all, but it doesn't make sense to keep us stuck in traffic."
To alleviate concerns, affected residents will be informed of the roadwork schedule as the project nears, Espero said. Most of the work is expected to take place at night.
"In order to improve the road, we do have to have a few inconveniences for a period of time," he added.
Concerns about drainage have also delayed the project, but city spokeswoman Carol Costa said a temporary drainage plan was approved in June 2002.
"We want the project to go through," said Costa. "We're going to see that our portion gets done."
The University of Hawaii and the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands are expected to handle the remaining drainage that lies in its portion on North-South Road, Yasui said.
State transportation officials have also yet to submit a habitat conservation plan to the state Board of Land and Natural Resources for the endangered plant, red ilima, that grows in a gulch in the projected area.
The plan is expected to be turned into the state before construction on the North-South Road can begin, said Michael Buck, administrator of the state Forestry and Wildlife Division.
Workers have since replanted 250 red ilima plants in a gulch located in the projected area, Buck said.
"If everything goes well ... I don't think this plant issue will be in the way."
Last Wednesday, Malama and other members of the Oahu Metropolitan Planning Organization's citizens advisory committee resubmitted the Ewa projects to receive federal funding for fiscal year 2004 and 2006 to the policy committee. OMPO prioritizes Hawaii road projects for federal highway funding.
"We're not giving up. We're going to keep on plugging," Malama said.
Oahu Metropolitan Planning Organization
