Mark Van Pernis’ recent commentary, which unfairly disparaged the Palamanui project, was full of inaccuracies and innuendo. In short, Van Pernis tried to blame Queen Kaahumanu Highway traffic deaths on Palamanui for not constructing the mauka to makai connector road through their project.
The Palamanui project has been stalled first by the great economic recession and followed by huge upfront infrastructure road costs. None of the proposed commercial, park, and housing infrastructure has been constructed since the project had its groundbreaking 10 years ago.
The only significant development that has occurred to date is Palamanui contributing nearly $10 million to build Kona’s community college campus and $11 million in supporting water system infrastructure. These contributions will positively affect students and their families for generations.
The now-open Hawaii Community College Palamanui campus has had no impact on the traffic flow on Queen Kaahumanu Highway.
If Palamanui does move forward with the rest of their project, I’d rather see them contribute funds towards the construction of Ane Keohokalole Highway Phase III instead of constructing a mauka to makai connector road through their project.
There is strong need to extend Ane Keohokalole Highway to Kaiminani Drive. There is serious traffic congestion on Highway 190 and Kaiminani Drive in early morning and late afternoons, which won’t be totally alleviated with the new northbound and southbound lanes and Queen Kaahumanu Highway.
Constructing another mauka to makai connector road in the near term won’t solve this traffic circulation issue. It will be a costly road less traveled.
Aaron Stene is a resident of Kailua-Kona.