One week after the Hawaii County Council shot down $1 million in state funds to investigate alternate traffic routes into Puna, a new council bill is trying to run it back.
Puna Councilwoman Ashley Kierkiewicz will introduce Bill 131 at next week’s meeting of the council’s Finance Committee in an attempt to salvage the funds that were allocated to the county to conduct a study of where to create an alternate transit corridor into Puna in order to improve traffic circulation and emergency access.
The bill is similar to Bill 107 — a previous measure to accept the funds that the council rejected last week — but has some key differences.
Most notably, while Bill 107 specified the funds would be for a “Puna Makai Alternate Route Study,” the new bill uses the phrase “Puna Alternate Routes Study,” a difference Kierkiewicz said is significant.
“It’s very intentional that this is for the benefit of all of Puna,” Kierkiewicz said, explaining the study can investigate possible routes on both sides of Highway 130.
The distinction also is important in that it allows the bill to exist at all: County Council rules state that the council cannot introduce a “substantially similar” bill to another one that was rejected during the same council term. Kierkiewicz said that the differing scope of Bill 130, along with an additional $1 million in matching county funds — an increase from the $500,000 in county funds stipulated in Bill 107 — should constitute a substantial difference.
“The first thing we need to understand is: Where are people going?” Kierkiewicz said. “I don’t think people are just going from Puna to Walmart and Target. There are a lot of folks in Puna who work in West Hawaii, and we need to find out where people are going and where the most valuable routes might be.”
Puna Rep. Greggor Ilagan, who was instrumental in allocating the state funds in the first place, said he was “delighted” that Kierkiewicz is trying again.
Ilagan had previously expressed deep disappointment with the council for rejecting the funds and was pessimistic council members could try again before the money expires.
“I assume that the council has figured out a way to accept the money,” Ilagan said, adding that he hasn’t seen a case of a county rejecting state funds and then attempting to walk it back like this, and that there could be pitfalls in the process.
“There is a stipulation in the allocation that the study look at routes below Highway 130,” Ilagan said. “That’s got to be taken under consideration.”
Ilagan speculated the $1 million in state funds and $500,000 in county funds could be used to develop the study for areas makai of Highway 130, with the remaining $500,000 from the county — which was not included in the original allocation and should therefore not be constrained by the same terms — used for areas mauka of the highway.
But, Ilagan also said that state Department of Transportation Director Ed Sniffen is supportive of Bill 131, which should allow for some flexibility in the use of the money.
“Investing in alternative routes for the Puna region is a proactive measure that aligns with our commitment to enhancing transportation infrastructure,” Sniffen said in a statement. “We believe this study will pave the way for improved public safety, better access to essential services, and enhanced emergency evacuation capabilities.”
Hilo Rep. Chris Todd, who is the House Transportation chair, echoed Sniffen’s comments in a statement, saying: “The state Legislature is committed to working collaboratively with the county to implement effective solutions while respecting the valid concerns of the Panaewa community.”
But even with the support of Sniffen and Todd, the rest of the council might be a tougher sell. All but three members of the council — Kierkiewicz, Hilo Councilwoman Jenn Kagiwada, and Puna Councilman Matt Kaneali‘i-Kleinfelder, who was absent — voted to kill Bill 107 on the grounds that there weren’t enough guardrails in place to prevent Department of Hawaiian Home Lands properties from being considered for placing a future alternate route.
Kierkiewicz said the council already has a “very clear policy directive” in place that should assure people that DHHL lands are off-limits: Resolution 416, which declared that parcels under DHHL jurisdiction should not be considered for any alternate route.
Although the council unanimously voted to adopt Resolution 416 last week, they still voted to terminate Bill 107, with several council members noting that resolutions are legally nonbinding and provide insufficient assurances.
“(Department of Public Works Director) Steve Pause was very clear he would follow our policy directives,” Kierkiewicz said. “I don’t understand why a county agency would not follow our directives. We’ve made it very clear that Hawaiian home lands are off the table.”
But Kierkiewicz and Ilagan were optimistic that the second time might be the charm.
“I just want to see something happen,” Ilagan said. “I’m very hopeful. This is the first step that we need to take to get this done.”
Email Michael Brestovansky at mbrestovansky@hawaiitribune-herald.com.