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CSS principles were applied on the Kamehameha Highway Safety and Operational Improvements project on the Island of Oahu. A community task force was put together which provided input on possible alternatives, which ultimately identified a preferred alternative in order to meet the purpose and need (P&N) of the project. One of the safety solutions of the project was to construct a median fence to inhibit pedestrians crossing the Kamehameha Highway arterial. The fencing met the safety P&N and the community's priority for safety, and included a contextual component of Hawaiian graphics on the fencing. The idea for the graphics was generated by the community
CSS principles have also been utilized on past projects that the department identified as likely to have significant impacts on the community. These projects included bridge replacements, lane widenings, bypasses, modal considerations (bike/ped/transit), etc. Most of these efforts included a community task force to assist with the consideration of communities’ values in the project. Our past efforts in applying CSS have varied, leading to the creation of a CSS task force for the purpose of providing CSS consistency and assistance on the selected projects. The task force recommended institutionalizing CSS within our project development process. In addition to continuing effort to use CSS strategies in the planning and design development processes for several projects, the task force has revised our project delivery process, and is also currently working to apply this new project delivery model on several pilot projects.
Hawaii DOT is also currently undertaking the Keaau-Pahoa Road Widening project, a capacity project on the island of Hawaii, District of Puna,that integrates CSS strategies. The project is taking place in a rural community where DOT has previously been unsuccessful in stakeholder engagement efforts. But this project has produced different results. Hawaii DOT recently published the Draft EA and has received mostly positive input from the community and stakeholders. This positive reaction has been nurtured by putting together a comprehensive community task force, learning about and respecting community values, and making an effort to inform the community about the policies, requirements, and methods available for a Draft EA. This project accommodated a shift in the project's P&N from capacity to safety. Capacity also fundamentally considered the community's values. This project will continue with a few more task forces and public meetings. After the preferred alternative is identified the department will continue applying CSS in the design development phase.
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