Members of the U.S. House of Representatives have approved $275 billion in federal assistance to fix the nation’s aging infrastructure, including $3 million for improvements to the Kapa‘a bypass road, U.S. House Rep. Ed Case, D-Neighbor Islands-rural O‘ahu, announced recently.
Members of the U.S. House of Representatives have approved $275 billion in federal assistance to fix the nation’s aging infrastructure, including $3 million for improvements to the Kapa‘a bypass road, U.S. House Rep. Ed Case, D-Neighbor Islands-rural O‘ahu, announced recently.
Should Congress approve the $3-million appropriation, improvements to the bypass road could help alleviate daily, bumper-to-bumper traffic on Kuhio Highway through Kapa‘a town.
At one time, traffic gridlock materialized primarily during the morning and late-afternoon commute. Traffic congestion, due to growth, can materialize at any time now.
How the $3 million will be used will be determined by state Department of Transportation officials, said Randy Obata, press secretary for Case.
Scott Ishikawa, the public affairs officer with the DOT office on O‘ahu, was not immediately available for comment.
Case said the transportation bill, if approved by both houses of Congress, will provide funding for projects on Kaua‘i, Maui, the Big Island and O‘ahu to help ease traffic congestion in many rapidly growing communities throughout his congressional district, encompassing rural areas of O‘ahu and the Neighbor Islands.
“The roughly $1 billion for Hawai‘i surface and ferry transportation is vital not only to address urban congestion on O‘ahu, but also the rapidly growing cities, towns and communities of the Neighbor Islands, where traffic and interisland travel have emerged as top concerns,” Case said.
Case requested $14 million be targeted for specific projects in Hawai‘i, including:
- $4.9 million for widening of Queen Ka‘ahumanu Highway and work at the Kealakehe Parkway to Keahole Airport, phase II on the Big Island;
- $2.8 million for upgrading of Farrington Highway from Hakimo Road to Kaukama Road in Wai‘anae, O‘ahu.
- $1.5 million for work on Komohana Street to the vicinity of Kawili Street on the Big Island.
Staff Writer Lester Chang may be reached at 245-3681 (ext. 225) or mailto:lchang@pulitzer.net.
