LIHUE The County Council will host a public hearing on March 13 at 1:30 p.m. in the council chambers to amend the capital budget for the fiscal year July 1 through June 30. The purpose of the meeting is to revise the amounts estimated in the Development Fund by $84,000 for islandwide bus stops and shelter improvements.
LIHUE — The County Council will host a public hearing on March 13 at 1:30 p.m. in the council chambers to amend the capital budget for the fiscal year July 1 through June 30. The purpose of the meeting is to revise the amounts estimated in the Development Fund by $84,000 for islandwide bus stops and shelter improvements.
The project is intended to collect funding through the requirements outlined in the applicable zoning use, and development permits, and is anticipated to receive $84,000 for the upgrades.
“On March 13, we are having a briefing where roads (department) are going to be coming in and looking where potholes are,” Councilwoman Felicia Cowden said. “To do deep repair takes a lot more money than we have. We’ll be doing them in patches in areas…Roads (department) will come in and show us their strategic plan. So they do both patches and then they go in and do serious repair.”
Deputy County Engineer Lyle Tabata said size is not the only factor on the timing of pothole repairs. Crews must evaluate all job duties within their district
“Which also includes roadside landscaping maintenance, and clearing county-owned ditches, storm drains, and other roadside impediments such as vegetation from outside the county right of way.”
The county prioritizes its work based on the severity of the conditions, availability of personnel and equipment, and location, Tabata said.
“The county has long reported its challenge with a backlog of road maintenance work,” Tabata said. “This is the main reason the previous administration requested that the council pass the GET surcharge last year to assist us with road repair projects and help to increase bus services to promote mass transportation, which can also help to alleviate traffic congestion.”
The county’s half percent increase in the state GET is projected to raise about $25 million annually for 10 years to fund public transportation improvements.
