Kekaha 'Akialoa Vision Design Meeting Follow-Up_04_19_23Kekaha Road and
ʻAkialoa Road
(Route 551)
Improvements
County of Kaua ʻi
Department of Public Works
April 19, 2023
Design Workshop
Follow-up Meeting
Project Overview
Recap: Audit Walk & Design Workshop
-February 6th and 7th
Roadway Corridor Improvement Ideas
Areas of Specific Concerns
Other Issues to Consider
Next Steps
Discussion / Q & A
Tonight’s Agenda
Project Overview
Source: Google Maps
Project Location Map
BEGIN PROJECT
Kaumualiʻi Highway + ‘Akialoa Road
END PROJECT
Kaumualiʻi Highway + Kekaha Road
Primary Project Purposes
Repair and rehabilitate the pavement surface
Enhance safety for all users
Reduce high-speed traffic on Kekaha Road by implementing traffic
calming measures
Encourage pedestrian & bicycle activity
Create a solution that supports transformative change consistent with
the West Kauaʻi Community Plan (WKCP)
Provide bicycle and pedestrian connectivity to Waimea Town
(combined with Waimea to Kekaha Shared Use Path)
Secondary Project Purposes
Highlight Kekaha Town and the Gateway to Waimea Canyon
Incorporate ancillary improvements
-Drainage improvements
-Roadway lighting, where appropriate
-Cox Drainage Canal parapet safety rail transitions
Incorporate green stormwater infrastructure where feasible
Add elements of landscaping, shade trees, vegetated swales, etc.
West Kauaʻi Community Plan
Kekaha Circulation Map (2020)
Source: West Kauaʻi Community Plan (Adopted December 2020)
Current Pavement Conditions
Distressed Pavement
Transverse and Block Cracking
Shoulder
Drop-Offs
Poor
Roadside
Conditions
Current Roadway Section
Roadside Drainage
(Ponding) Issues
Lack of Pedestrian
Facilities
Bicyclists
Share the
Road with
Vehicles
No Shoulders; Drop offs
at Edge of Pavement
Current Drainage Conditions
Drain Inlets not
functioning as
intended
Ponding along Shoulder
Walk Audit & Design Workshop Recap
February 6 & 7, 2023
Walk Audit -Key Takeaways
Traffic congestion during drop off/pick-up for schools
Lack of sidewalks / pedestrian facilities, especially
routes to local schools
Speeding on Kekaha Road
Drainage, including elevation of roadway compared
to existing sidewalks
Challenging intersection at Kōkeʻe Rd & ‘Alae Rd
February 6, 2023
Walk Audit -Other Takeaways
Obscured sight lines due to obstacles
-Vegetation overgrowth and fences
Stop sign position, examples:
-Kōkeʻe Road
-‘Alae Road
Vehicles that shortcut corners via shoulders (e.g.
Kala Road)
February 6, 2023
Design Workshop Activity
Design Workshop -Key Takeaways
Don’t change the character of Kekaha –quiet, rural,
family-oriented, safe & close-knit community
Addressing flooding and roadway drainage is
priority, particularly for west end up to the Mill area
Speeding is a problem; traffic calming measures are
needed
Prefer sidewalks and safe routes to schools for
children who walk and bike; consider also elderly
and handicap access
Prefer no roundabout at Kekaha Rd / Kōkeʻe Rd /
ʻAlae Rd intersection
Additional crosswalk locations should be considered
More lighting needed near crosswalks
February 7, 2023
Design Workshop –Conflicting Ideas
Shared-Use Path (~10’ wide) vs.
Sidewalks (5’ minimum width)
Sidewalks vs. Parking
Residential areas, especially at east end
Cox Drainage –Widen vs. Keep As Is
Currently helps control speed by
constricting traffic, but has inadequate
width for pedestrians & bicyclists
February 7, 2023
Design Workshop –Design Principles
Implement speed tables and/or speed cushions
Reconfigure intersections
-Kekaha Rd –Kōkeʻe Rd –ʻAlae Rd
-Kekaha Rd –Kaumuali‘i Hwy
Incorporate paved and unpaved parking areas
Include sidewalks throughout
Incremental upgrades to drainage
infrastructure
Evaluate improvements to street lighting
within project limits, especially at crosswalks
February 7, 2023
Design Workshop –Action Items In Progress
Coordinate with Kekaha Elementary School to implement temporary
controls and other trial restrictions to alleviate traffic congestion during
peak pick-up times
Coordinate with Ke Kula Niʻihau O Kekaha & Kekaha Elementary School
for crosswalk need and optimal location --Complete
Clean identified existing drain inlets and culverts
-Some inlets were cleaned this month, more to come
Future Considerations
(Not Part of this Project)
Manage drop off and pickup concerns at Kekaha Elemenatary School
-Implement permanent regulatory prohibitions for left turns into and/or
parking on Kekaha Road during peak pick-up times
-Reduce pickup & dropoff number on Kekaha Road by making
improvements to ʻIwipolena Road (behind the school)
Add crosswalks along Kaumuali‘i Hwy (e.g. Kala Rd)
Open ditch outlets along Kaumuali‘i Hwy to address drainage
Address possible soil toxicity in the vicinity of the Mill
Roadway Corridor Improvement
Ideas
Source: Kauaʻi Now News
Cross section elements shown here are
not to scale and are intended to be
constructed within the Right-of-Way
Cross section elements shown here are
not to scale and are intended to be
constructed within the Right-of-Way
‘Akialoa Road At -Grade Sidewalk
Note: Right-of-Way width and location varies
West
East
Grass Swale
Kekaha Road -‘Akialoa Rd to Amakihi Rd
Parking + Raised Sidewalk
Note: Right-of-Way width and location varies
Mauka
Makai
Grass Swale
Kekaha Road -‘Amakihi Rd to ‘Io Rd
Note: Right-of-Way width and location varies
Raised Sidewalk
Mauka
Makai
Raised Sidewalk + Parking
Kekaha Road -‘Io Rd to Kekaha Sugar Mill
(excluding area fronting KANAKA School)
Note: Right-of-Way width and location varies
Grass Swale
Mauka
Makai
Raised Sidewalk + Parking
Kekaha Road -KANAKA School
Note: Right-of-Way width and location varies
Paved Parking Lane
Mauka
Makai
Raised Sidewalk + Parking
Kekaha Road -Mill to Kaumuali‘i Hwy
Note: Right-of-Way width and location varies
Grass Swale
Parking + Raised Sidewalk
Mauka
Makai
Areas of Specific Concerns
Walk Audit, Feb. 2023
•Kekaha Road / ‘Alae Road / Kōke‘e Road Intersection
•Speeding / Traffic Calming Measures
•Pedestrian Safety / Crosswalks
•Drainage / Re-Paving Options
Potential Intersection
Improvements
Kekaha Road / ‘Alae Road / Kōke‘e Road
-Raised Sidewalks
-Additional Crosswalks
-Roundabout
-Intersection Realignment
We Got It!
Kekaha Rd / Kōkeʻe Rd / ‘Alae Rd Intersection
Reconfigure intersection
to clearly identify traffic
movements and
mitigate speeding
Kekaha Rd / Kōkeʻe Rd / ‘Alae Rd Intersection
Note: Addresses will be added
to street name signs
Traffic Calming (Exact locations to be determined)
Speed Cushions or Speed Tables
Traffic Calming (Exact locations to be determined)
Speed Cushions or Speed Tables
Traffic Calming (Exact locations to be determined)
Speed Cushions or Speed Tables
'Akialoa Road
'ElepaioRoad
Crosswalk Modifications –Kōke‘e Road
Crosswalk Modifications –Post Office Area
Drainage Concerns and Constraints
Here’s the point:
Water is flowing
the wrong way!
Drywells or
Subsurface
Detention/
Infiltration Systems
Explore ability to infiltrate
stormwater into underlying
sandy soils
Re -paving Methods
•Overlay
Minimally scarify existing pavement to
accept a thin layer of asphalt (typically 1 to
3 inches)
•Mill and Fill
Remove the top layer of the existing
pavement (1 to 3 inches or more) to accept
a thin layer of asphalt (typically 1 to 3
inches)
•Rehabilitation
Excavate and remove the roadway
pavement (typically 18 inches or more) to
construct a new pavement section that
consists of base course, asphalt base, and
asphalt
Repaving Methods –Overlay
Note:
When roadway pavements
are overlaid, the exposed
curb height is reduced with
each subsequent overlay
Repaving Methods –Mill & Fill
Note:
Restoring the full curb height will
reduce the overall pavement
thickness and leave it more
susceptible to cracking, potholes,
and failure
Option 1 Option 2
Repaving Methods –Rehabilitation
Here’s the point:
Pavement Rehabilitation costs
considerably more than Mill & Fill
Resurfacing ($1.5M per lane-mi vs.
$400K per lane-mi) and takes longer to
construct (17 days per lane-mi vs. 5 days
per lane-mi), but will result in a much
more durable roadway pavement
Other Issues to Consider
Existing drainage infrastructure is inadequate
-Requires major overhaul to make fully functional
-May require regulating ditch flow
High water table underlying Kekaha Town
-Approximately 5 feet below grade in some areas
Near term improvements should compliment future improvements
-Timeline for implementation of future improvements is unknown
Next Steps
Maintenance of existing drainage infrastructure –Spring to Summer 2023
Complete permitting and design for project –May 2024
Federal funds obligation deadline –Fall 2024
Contractor selection and procurement process –Spring 2025
Start construction –Summer 2025
Discussion / Q & A
County of Kauaʻi
Department of Public Works
Charlene Johnston, Civil Engineer
cjohnston@kauai.gov
808.241.4885