KAILUA-KONA — The proposed Mamalahoa Highway widening project in Waimea is on track to go to bid after clearing a state-required process last month.
KAILUA-KONA — The proposed Mamalahoa Highway widening project in Waimea is on track to go to bid after clearing a state-required process last month.
The project, which will widen 2.8 miles from Mud Lane to Mana Road, has a price tag of $25 million. The project consists of widening Mamalahoa Highway at 18 major intersections, with left-turn pockets and drainage improvements.
Hawaii County Managing Director Wil Okabe said there is $5.8 million already available for the project. However, the county is waiting for the state Department of Transportation and federal government to expend other funds.
Public Works Deputy Director Allan Simeon said the county is hoping to pay for the project with as much federal money as possible. The project qualifies for 80 percent funding from the Federal Highway Administration. The county will match that at 20 percent.
The county’s hope, Simeon added, is to know how much money they’ll get by the end of this month.
“Project completion depends on how much money we get,” he said. “We hope to be able to bid the whole project. If not, we have to tailor (the) project.”
The county was in danger of losing federal funds if the project was not moved through the Department of Land Natural Resource’s State Historic Preservation Division process.
Mayor Harry Kim sent a letter to DLNR Chairwoman Suzanne Case on July 7, asking her to expedite the Section 106 process.
The county needed to reach a planning and design conclusion by Aug. 14 to encumber federal obligation funds. SHPD completed its review and sent its letter to the county July 18.
The purpose of the Section 106 process is to first gauge if any historically significant sites might be affected by a project and then eliminate or sufficiently mitigate those potential impacts. Such determinations must be made before any federal dollars are released to the project in question.
The section of road will be widened 7.5 feet on each side, according to Barett Otani with the county Public Works Department. Otani said it will take about 500 days to complete, depending on weather and construction conditions.
Otani said the section of road is a priority for the county because it will facilitate traffic flow and circulation and improve public safety.
Email Tiffany DeMasters at tdemasters@westhawaiitoday.com.