I read a Letter to the Editor this morning, Feb 25, and completely agree with the writer. Litter on HiWay 11 is the worst I've seen it in 35 years of living in Volcano. It starts from the divided highway at Panaewa and continues until the portion Volcano Rotary and Kilauea Lodge manage.
I am willing to try to gather some concerned residents to help pick up the litter but at age 80, I'm afraid it will take me until Summer to accomplish this. I cleaned the highway between MM 26-28 for Kilauea Lodge for 28 years. I can do it but need bags and vests and more bodies to help. Can your office please help me and our community and others who find the highway an eyesore. It's embarrassing. It looks like"We no Kea" attitude and we all know we do care.
Mahalo
I can be contacted at 808 937-2079 Lorna Larsen-Jeyte or at tutulorna@gmail.com

Hello Neighbor! I wanted to find people who would share my concern about current condition of highway 130.
It hurts my hard everytime I drive on it to see how dirty it becomes, how long it stay this way and that it is getting worth every day.! A lot of trash bags just lost and trash flies around especially around Keaau Transfer station and generally between Keaau turn to 130 and Pahoa. It is painful to watch! I am cleaning the stretch of the ocean clif between Paradise and Makuu streets HPP, on the regular bases and unfortunately collecting big bag of trash practically every day.... I am doing this little thing, so I believe there are some other people there who can help problem along the highway 130 I would be willing to go and help cleaning the grass aria around highway 130 but I do not know if it is legal to park the car on the curb of the highway and definitely concern about the safety to collect trash along the speedy trafic. Is it anyway we can help this situation! This land is crying for help! This is America! I've never seen any highway looks so abundant by it users for 30 years I am living in our beautiful country! The main concern of mine is not original, everyone knows we are in the middle of the ocean which we have to protect of pollution and we have to do our part. All of this trash ends up into the ocean and we have to stop it! Please let's get together and do all necessary to fix the problem! I called the HI state highway department who is responsible for cleaning our highways. Their phone number is (808)9338866 So far I do not see any action from their part. Maybe some other concerned neighbors can contact them as well ? This island is our home, we need to take care of this beautiful land and our spectacular ocean! If any neighbor, group or organization would be willing to join me to start cleaning highway 130, I will be with you !. Please let me know. Together we can do it! Thank you Elena elenahw130@gmail.com

Due to heavy rains flooding occurs, and at times without prediction. However, I wish to report an area that has received run off and has effected me over the years. I live near the Ka’u State Highway baseyard and recent heavy rains has AGAIN flooded my property and into my garage. This has been reported in the past the the Hilo office and the acting overseer of the Ka’u baseyard over many years. The reply has been by the Hilo office that it is not the State’s fault that I live in an area that is lower than the highway. Yes, that is true. However, flood waters travel den the scale of the roadway until it reaches one of the entrances to the baseyard which is lower than the roadway swale and then redirects along the wrong side of swale and into my property. Entrance to my property has a swale the keeps the majority of water out but does not allow water getting behind it to “return” to the roadway. A simple fix is not an engineering feat: make entryway to baseyard swale to follow the road swale. I have pics showing the problem: it is not simply too bad for me because I live where I live.

Aloha,

The sidewalks on the Singing Bridge (Hamakua Highway that crosses over the Wailuku river into Hilo) is an accident waiting to happen. The 2x6 planks that make up the sidewalk are rotten. Many are squishy under pressure. If they are not fixed, someone is going to fall through and get seriously hurt or dead. Here are some pictures.

Mahalo,

Josef

We've had a very noticeable drop in bicycle tourism, which is unobtrusive, green and good for people visiting and tourism. Traffic is unbelievable and there is gross violation of bicyclist's space. If there's a traffic jam, the odd crazy person will just charge through you in the bike lane--basically attempted murder to save a few minutes. There is no bicycle rights enforcement or ANY move against aggressive driving. If it can't be seen over coffee at a speed stop, it's not going to bring any prosecution. Meanwhile driving in whatever lane you like is the rule, tailgate, cut people off at 70 in a 45. Mopeds too--you are what you drive in US culture, so if you're on a moped, you're worthy of death--zero empathy from most drivers that you're travelling on two wheels in a bike lane. We need more enforcement of basic traffic laws--not just stickers and speed trap stops. It's much, much worse than that. I've been all over the world--I've driven to Guatemala! This is THE WORST traffic situation I have seen almost anywhere. No enforcement of anything. Huge vehicles on small roads, speeding at incredible rates. People acting like these are LA freeways. I was beautifying an intersection in Pahoa, a woman rides through the roundabout intersection at a decent speed, on a bicycle. The cars behind her honked like crazy, yelled at her to "get the he%% off the road," like she had no right to be there. Even crosswalks, are optional with most drivers--they'll run you over. Something has to be done. Allowing development to follow car traffic is a very special kind of evil. Real communities have bike paths and pedestrian routes--he%%, sidewalks! We are an obese population and many, many people go from the car, to building entrances--that's it. Nobody really cares--they're slowly killing themselves, why would they?