Last month, SHADE Institute along with its consultants met virtually with the Department of Transportation Services (DTS) to discuss updates on environmental exemption, funding, construction, and next steps for the Waipi’o Point Access Road Multimodal and Safety Improvements (WPARMSI) project. SHADE is the project developer who is responsible for community relations, permitting, procurement, and management of project consultants. DTS is the responsible agency who will comment upon, and receive the project documents for permitting approvals, procurement, and management of construction of this project. Also present at the meeting were SHADE’s legal consultant, William Yuen, and planning consultant, Kawika McKeague from G70.
SHADE Fellow, Cuong Tran opened with a quick overview of the project and went over the Environmental Assessment Exemption Items for the project, which then lead into a discussion of the role of community support. Support was well received after SHADE presented to the Waipahu Neighborhood Board on the Thursday night prior. Meeting participants agreed upon a timeline of deliverables where SHADE and its planning consultant, G70 will produce the appropriate documents to send to DTS for approval in August. G70 representative, Kawika McKeague explained that the project is scheduled to obtain the Environmental Assessment Exemption under agency review and be confirmed before the end of August.
WPARMSI project leadership will continue to lobby for construction funding, which is estimated to be $6.8 million according to DTS representative, Renee Espiau. Council Member Brandon Elefante’s proposed bill for $1M toward WPARMSI construction was passed by the City Council and signed into law by the Mayor with the caveat that State funding matches it.
The Memorandum Of Understanding (MOU) is currently being drafted by SHADE’s legal consultant, William Yuen to memorialize the roles, responsibilities, and gifting of this public interest design project’s development, planning, and design services to the City & County of Honolulu.
Once the MOU is completed this month, DTS will procure and manage the WPARMSI Project’s construction. SHADE Executive Director, Dean Sakamoto expressed his preference to continue to work with DTS and Espiau through completion of this unique and important project.
