Rep. Kirstin Kahaloa knows government has a responsibility to provide safe, effective infrastructure to our community.

PRIORITIES FOR INFRASTRUCTURE

• Provide safe, complete streets for all who use them.
  We know Kona’s roads need work. We must leverage all available federal dollars, prioritize state projects in the district, and maximize all potential funding sources for county projects. We also need to ensure our roads are safe for everyone who uses them, whether on foot, on bike, in a car, or using mass transit through the principles of Complete Streets and Vision Zero.
  
  

• Expand Highway 11 between Kailua and Keauhou.
  One of the most critical bottlenecks in our district is Highway 11, which narrows to one lane each direction between Henry Street and Kamehameha III Road. Traffic congestion in the morning and evening rush hours negatively impacts quality of life, and often impedes the passage of emergency vehicles with narrow shoulders. We must work to expand this important corridor to four lanes.
  
  

• Expand broadband connectivity so all residents can connect to the knowledge-based economy.
  Broadband connectivity on Hawaiʻi Island is a right, not a luxury. It is an economic justice and social equity priority. The global pandemic showed us the vast disparities in connectivity and the real-world consequences of the digital divide. Whether it’s wired or wireless, we must expand connectivity especially in our rural areas.
  
  

• Build a new hospital in Kona.
  The population of Kona has grown significantly and its center has shifted geographically since Kona Community Hospital was built. The time has come for a new, modern hospital to care for West Hawaiʻi’s people. We must work closely with private sector partners to leverage all available public resources to make this a reality.
  
  

• Deliver on Hawaiʻi’s obligation to native Hawaiians on homestead lands.
  With the high cost of housing, the Department of Hawaiian Home Land’s mission to return kanaka maoli to the land has perhaps never been more important or relevant. Many of the hurdles the department faces are related to the cost of infrastructure. The 2022 Legislature supplied much-needed funding to the Department, and we must hold them accountable and ensure the funds are put to good use.
  
  

• Reexamine our zoning and land use decisions of long ago.
  We must explore today’s best practices of walkable, transit-connected, livable communities. These concepts could inform lower infrastructure costs for affordable housing developments, and reduce the environmental impacts of urban sprawl and vehicle dependence.