Community

Kawela Bridge gets facelift

Thursday, October 15th, 2009

By Dan Murphy

Plans to replace the old Kawela Bridge were approved by the Molokai Planning Commission (MoPC) last month. The bridge, located just past mile marker five, has been known to flood during big rainstorms and block off the east end of King Kamehameha V Highway.

Mich Hirano, vice president of Munekiyo and Hiraga planning firm, reported to MoPC that the old bridge had been deemed structurally and hydraulically inadequate. Hirano said they still have plenty of work ahead of them.

“Our role is to get all of the permits for the project. There are still a number of permits that they need before they can start building,” he said.

The new plans call for an extension of the existing bridge from 44 feet to 56 feet long. Ten foot shoulders will also be added on either side of the road to provide a safe lane for bikers and pedestrians. However, the majority of the improvements will occur beneath the road.

Flooding in the area has occurred in the past because sediment piles up and blocks water from flowing beneath the bridge. During the new project, all excess sediment will be cleared and the banks will be lined with cement to keep dirt from gathering again. The bridge height will also be raised from five to seven feet, allowing enough room for equipment to clean underneath the bridge if necessary.

The Commissioners, who visited the site of the project the morning before making their decision, had two major concerns with the project. First, they wanted to make sure that a reliable backup plan was in place in case a flood hit during the construction process.

“Our discussions [at the site visit] noted that there was no contingency plan if the temporary bridge failed in anyway,” Commissioner Mikiala Pescaia said.

During construction, a temporary bridge will be built makai of the work so traffic can continue to flow. If that bridge is damaged, the Commission made sure that the contractor would have the road opened within 24 hours after a storm.

They also ensured that this project would not drag on like the recently completed Kawaikapu Bridge on the east end – it took nearly four years to construct the 30 foot bridge. MoPC told the Department of Transportation they had a maximum of three years to complete the project after breaking ground. Hirano said he did not expect the project to take longer than one year to complete.

Construction will not begin until Fall of 2010 at the earliest, and may be even later depending on how long it takes to obtain the remaining permits and select a contractor to complete the project.

Eye Spy the Vision Van

Wednesday, October 7th, 2009

Vision testing van will tour island.

By Megan Stephenson

Molokai residents have a rare opportunity rolling their way – a van equipped to provide  free retina screenings will visit the island next week. Retina screenings test eye pressure, which can help detect diseases like macular degeneration (loss of vision in the center field, making near-sightedness very difficult), high blood pressure and diabetes. The retina screenings, a service that is no longer available on the island, is sponsored by the Molokai Lions Club.

The tests are provided by ‘Project Vision,’ a non-profit mobile unit set up by the Retina Institute of Hawaii. The van will be shipped from Oahu free of charge by the Young Brothers. This is the first time the van will be touring Molokai, and will be stopping at three locations: Kilohana, Kualapu`u, and Kaunakakai. There is no age restriction or financial qualification to be screened.

West End Mansion Appeal to be Heard

Wednesday, October 7th, 2009

By Dan Murphy

The Molokai Planning Commission (MoPC) took the first step last week to sort through the tangled mess of legal issues surrounding a proposed 21,642 square foot house on Molokai’s west end. The group decided to hear an appeal of their April 22 ruling that the house did not need to obtain a Special Management Area (SMA) permit.

The house, proposed by Pierluigi Zappacosta, would be the largest home ever built in the state of Hawaii on land zoned for agriculture. This spring, MoPC decided that despite its large size, the Zappacosta dwelling legally qualified for an exemption from the SMA permit. Maui County and MoPC laws state that all single family dwellings are exempt from SMA permits as long as they do not show any threat to the environment or neighboring lands.

Steve Morgan, a Kaluakoi resident, appealed the exemption in May on the grounds that it should not qualify as a single family dwelling. That is when the county got involved. Jane Lovell, an attorney representing the County of Maui, filed a motion to dismiss Morgan’s appeal because of several legal issues. Last week’s meeting was held to decide whether or not the appeal would be heard.