21st August 2009
Posted in Traffic, Updates
Tagged in: BYU-Hawaii, cane haul road, envision laie, Ko'olau Loa, Ko'olau Loa Sustainable Community Plan, koolau loa sustainable communities plan, Malaekahana, Polynesian Cultural Center, Traffic, transportation

Traffic is on the minds of many from Ko‘olau Loa. Leading traffic engineers have been engaged, and the community is looking at a number of ways to improve our quality of life while getting to where we need to go.

A few things to consider when looking at transportation:

• Car ownership on BYU-Hawaii’s campus is very low. BYU-Hawaii continues to be committed to a walking campus and reducing student car ownership and use. Nearby housing for faculty and staff is also important to reduce commuting.
• One contributor to traffic congestion is the fact that people must work or shop outside Ko‘olau Loa because there aren’t enough services or jobs. Addressing the sustainability of BYU-Hawaii and the Polynesian Cultural Center, and providing more jobs and shopping for the area, will help reduce commuting.
• There is considerable pent-up demand for homes among current Ko‘olau Loa residents. Much of the proposed new housing would alleviate overcrowding in our homes. New housing will not translate into an equal number of new cars on the road, as many of these cars are already on the road.
• Cane Haul Road, parallel to Kamehameha Highway, is being looked at as an alternate route. This road would reduce congestion throughout the area and could potentially connect Hauula all the way to Kahuku. The road would also provide an alternate route when an incident occurs on Kamehameha Highway or in case of an evacuation.
• Adding new turn lanes and traffic lights in problem areas on the highway is another strategy. Other possibilities include adding bike paths along Kamehameha Highway and through the community. Other ways to improve the friendliness of the region for walkers and bikers are also being reviewed.

For more information about our review of transportation needs for the residents of our community, and our neighbors, visit our site for updates.