But new route could be trouble for school kids

Honakaa, Hawaii
Video by David Corrigan

The massive large capacity cesspool conversion project that has ravaged business and everyday life along Honokaa’s main street is looking to speed things up.

Engineers and county officials think they can shave 5 weeks off the construction time by altering the flow of traffic for a 24 hour period by Honokaa School.

The project has caused a headache for Honokaa, and some area merchants are blaming it for the poor business climate. The $5.3 million project is mandated by the EPA, in order to bring Honokaa up to code on wastewater issues. The new sewer line runs right through the heart of the historic sugar plantation town.

The county says  Isemoto Contracting Co. Ltd. is ahead of schedule and should finish the project early. A plan to have 24 hour one-way traffic on Pakalana Street was mostly agreeable to the few residents in attendance at the meeting held on Thursday evening.

The county says the new traffic pattern will also help reduce traffic congestion in town.

Some of the residents in attendance expressed concern about the impact the new traffic pattern will have on the safety of school kids, who are known to walk on the nearby roads surrounding the school complex.

If all goes according to plan, the Large Capacity Cesspools will be closed before the September 2010 deadline, and will be hooked up to an upgraded wastewater treatment plant by February 2011.

In an in depth handout provided at the meeting, the scope of the project was detailed:

WORK SEPARATED INTO 3 PARTS:

Part 1: Work to Close County LLC’s

• New sewer on Lehua St. below Mamane St.
• New sewer on Mamane St. from Lehua Street to the Honokaa Civic Center
• New sewer on Pakalana St
• New sewer on Puakalo St and connection of the Honokaa Park complex to the new system
• New sewage pumping station at the Honokaa Civic Center to connect facilities to the new system

Part 2: Sewer Treatment/Disposal Solution with closure of LLC’s

• New sewer on Mamane St from Honokaa Civic to Ohelo St.
• New sewer on Pakalana St from Honokaa Swimming Pool complex to the Belt Highway
• New sewer on Koniaka Place to service the Hawaii Public Housing Authority complex
• Replace existing sewer laterals on Lehua St. from the Hale Hoola Hamakua facility to Mamane St.

Part 3: Honokaa Wastewater Treatment Plant

• Excavate pond and install new sewer liner system at the existing Honokaa Wastewater Treatment Plant which is located in Haina
• Business, residents, Honokaa School, and HPHA facility will NOT be able to connect to the new sewer system until the WWTP upgrade has been completed.
• Upgrade of the WWTP will be performed as a seperate project which is anticipated to be completed in February 2011.
• Property owner will have 180 calendar days (6 months) to connect once the upgrade is completed (August 2011)

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