Can We Achieve A Safe Route To School? Now? Later? Never?

Or should would we say we WILL achieve it? You decide.

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7/15/18 #kihei
We informed our community several years ago after we attended the State Land Use Commission (LUC) meeting when the State Department of Education (DOE) petitioned the LUC for a change of use from Agricultural for the future site for their high school in Kihei. The commission granted the request with some conditions including this:

“Petitioner shall cause to be constructed, or ensure that there is an available above or below ground pedestrian crossing and A11-794 State of Hawaii, Department of Education Findings of Fact, Conclusions of law, Decision and order implements such mitigation or improvements as may be required or recommended by the study and analysis to the satisfaction of DOT prior to opening Phase I of the Project.”

This is to allow students to cross Pi’ilani Highway safely to get to/from school with an overpass or underpass.

Last month the LUC returned for a site visit seemingly because they expect the DOE to ask the LUC to remove the condition, and because over five years have passed since that deciding meeting, so there are all new volunteer commissioners serving the five year terms. We felt it was prudent for all of them to have eyes on the highway conditions

SEE: https://gokihei.org/environment/state-land-use-commission-luc-travels-to-kihei-for-a-site-visit-of-the-location-of-the-proposed-new-high-school-mauka-of-highway-this-afternoon.

It is our understanding that while the DOE contracted for a taxpayer-funded transportation study, they decided to just ignore it.

SEE https://gokihei.org/news/npac-meeting-has-dan-burden-look-at-the-preposed-transportation-issues-at-kihei-high-school-area and: https://gokihei.org/environment/transportation-plans-for-south-maui.

So now five years later, having taken no action, the DOE seems to be planning to say if you do not remove or at least modify (add in a long delay) that condition for a safe walking/bicycling egress from the makai side to the school, you will delay building the school for many more years!

If that plays out (there may be an LUC meeting on the matter 9/12) that puts the commission and the community between a blue rock and a hard place. Can the DOE force both to forgo a reasonable step for a safe route to the new school or else have the DOE say NO SCHOOL FOR YOU! Auwe!