MEDIA RELEASE

HONOLULU – The Hawaii Department of Transportation (HDOT) notifies the public that the Highways Division intends to conduct a transportation planning study under the authorities of 23 U.S.C. 168. This authority allows planning decisions and analyses conducted during the planning study to be used in the environmental processes under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4321 et. seq.).

The planning study shall be known as the “Waimea Regional Safety Study.” The study area shall consist of those lands generally from the area south of the Kawaihae Road/Waiemi Place intersection to the Mamalahoa Highway/Kamamalu Street intersection. Planning decisions that will be included are: Purpose and Need, Preliminary Screening of Alternatives, and a Basic Description of the Environmental Setting. Improvements to existing roads and identification of an alternate new road will be under discussion and planning review.

County, State, and Federal Agencies will be consulted on environmental studies. These studies may be used to inform the environmental process required under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969.

HDOT will work with the community on the Waimea Regional Safety Study using a Planning and Environment Linkages (PEL) process. The PEL process emphasizes collaboration and integration during planning. The first community PEL meeting was held on Oct. 10, 2018.

A second community PEL meeting is scheduled at the following location and time:

Wednesday, Dec. 5, 2018
5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.
Waimea Elementary School Cafeteria
67-1225 Mamalahoa Highway, Kamuela, HI 96743

The December meeting will discuss “Purpose and Need.” The statement of Purpose and Need is essential to formulating and evaluating alternatives. It is used in any future environmental documents that may be produced. The meeting will be an open discussion, and information on environmental, economic, and community issues are welcome.

Future community PEL meetings will be held in early 2019.

A website has been created for this planning study and can be accessed at www.waimearegionalsafetystudy.com. The site also contains notes from the first community PEL meeting. Focus groups and community meetings will be announced through newspaper notification, posting on community bulletin boards, and the project website.

Those who wish to be notified about upcoming opportunities to get involved may contact Brian Tyau, HDOT Project Manager, at brian.tyau@hawaii.gov