A proposed speed limit reduction along Kalanianaole Street is on hold as Hawaii County officials determine how best to protect nene in the area.
Hilo Councilwoman Sue Lee Loy on Tuesday introduced at a County Council committee meeting a bill to reduce the speed limit between Leleiwi Street and the James Kealoha Park from 30 mph to 25 mph in an effort to reduce hazards to endangered nene that roost in the Keaukaha wetlands.
But Lee Loy ultimately decided to postpone the measure until July to give the county Department of Public Works more time to determine additional traffic-control measures for the Hilo road.
Public Works Director Steve Pause said at the meeting that he “is supportive of identifying and implementing the right treatments,” including a speed limit reduction, but added that he has not consulted with local volunteers who monitor the nene population in the area.
One of those volunteers — Jordan Lerma, co-founder of nonprofit Nene Research and Conservation — told council members Tuesday about the health of the nene population on the island in general and Keaukaha in particular. Lerma said that approximately 500 nene were recorded on the Big Island last year, and that some 30 of the birds make their nests in Keaukaha.
But, Lerma added, Kalanianaole Street — which runs directly by most of the area’s ponds — has consistently been dangerous for the nene.
He said the highly publicized vehicle collision that killed a female nene in March was actually the second traffic-related nene fatality in the state this year, with the first also taking place along the same stretch of road. At least eight nene are known to have been killed between Lili‘uokalani Park and Kings Landing since 2021.
“We’re trying the easier solutions first, like a speed limit change,” Lerma said. He said that although studies have indicated that even a 5 mph reduction in the speed limit can cause a significant reduction in traffic incidents, more measures might be necessary to ensure traffic and nene safety.
Lerma said Nene Research and Conservation installed some temporary radar sensors along the road in May to get information about drivers’ habits and found that there was only a single day when more than 50% of drivers complied with the speed limit.
“What’s scary is that the highest speed we recorded was 88 miles per hour,” Lerma said. “And what happened on the day where there was 50% compliance? Somebody had set up a mobile traffic board.”
Lee Loy suggested that other measures could include the installation of vertical traffic delineators to control speed, but added that the Hawaii Fire Department has nixed the installation of speed bumps on the road, as they would impede emergency responders’ access to the area.
In any event, Lee Loy said the council will revisit the proposal in July after getting additional traffic-control suggestions from the Department of Public Works.
Email Michael Brestovansky at mbrestovansky@hawaiitribune-herald.com.
