Senate President Ronald D. Kouchi Announces More Than $233 Million for Kaua‘i, Ni‘ihau

COVID-19 Legislature reconvenes. PC: Hawai’i Senate Majority

Senate moves out CIP funds for final for renovations, repairs, construction, land acquisition, and critical computer systems statewide

The Hawai‘i State Senate agreed yesterday on the Capital Improvement Project budget for Fiscal Years 2020 and 2021, totaling more than $5.1 billion.

The bill now moves to the full House for approval on Thursday.

Representing the islands of Kaua‘i and Ni‘ihau, Senate President Ronald D. Kouchi (District 8) and member of the Senate approved Senate draft House Bill No. 2725, HD1, SD1, totaling over $233.5 million for the district.

Along with some of the projects proposed by the Senate, Senator Kouchi supported additional funding for a multitude of projects, including “$28.5 million for education, our school facilities and our youth of Kaua‘i, $19 million for a much needed Kaua‘i High School gym, and $3 million for a parking lot at Kapa‘a High School.

“These projects will deliver much needed infrastructure for our future children of Kaua‘i,” the senator said.

Additional projects in the Senate draft include:

• $247 million to improve roads and other transportation facilities on Kaua‘i.
• $92 million for improvements on Kūhiō Highway, from Hanamaulu to Kapa‘a
• $23 million for improvements to the Līhuʻe Airport terminal and its facilities
• $15 million and $4 million for CIP at Nāwiliwili and Port Allen harbors, respectively

These funding measures include renovations, repairs, and major maintenance to existing facilities, landscape improvements, new construction, land acquisition, and utility modifications.

Senator Kouchi will continue to work diligently in collaboration with the Kauaʻi delegation, Representatives James K. Tokioka (Dist. 15-Wailua Homestead, Hanamaulu, Līhuʻe, Puhi, Old Koloa Town, Omao), Daynette Morikawa (Dist. 16-Ni‘ihau, Lehua, Koloa, Waimea), and Nadine K. Nakamura (Dist. 14-Hanalei, Princeville, Kīlauea, Anahola, Kapa‘a, Wailua) to support vital projects and issues important to their community.

“I am positive that my fellow colleagues from Kaua‘i will help move this bill forward in the House on Thursday,” said Senator Kouchi, “This will help address some of the statewide needs and for our Garden Isle that have become painfully apparent due to the coronavirus pandemic.”

The CIP budget also includes funding for many “shovel-ready” construction projects that can begin work quickly, providing much needed jobs to help resuscitate our struggling economy

CIP Highlights 

Agriculture

• $2 million for Kauaʻi irrigation systems
• $900,000 Christian Crossing Bridge, Kalepa, Kaua‘i
• $600,000 for an interior access road and Kekaha ditch bridge crossing, Kaua‘i

Accounting and General Services

• $17 million for the modernization of the state finance system, statewide
• $1 million for repair, equipment, modernization and expansion of the Information and Communication Services Division’s critical communication systems, statewide

Business, Economic Development, and Tourism

• $50 million to finance additional affordable housing for counties within the state having a population less than 500,000, statewide

Defense

• $2 million for the incremental addition, replacement, and upgrade of the State Civil Defense warning and communication devices, statewide

Education

• $1.5 million for air conditioning at ʻEleʻele Elementary School, Kaua‘i
• $3 million for parking lot, for drainage, grounds and site improvements for Kapa‘a High School, Kauaʻi
• $19.2 million for girl’s locker room and gym for Kaua‘i High School
• $150,000 for new playground at King Kaumuali’i Elementary School, Kaua‘i
• $2.05 million repair and maintenance to school’s buildings, basketball courts and renovating existing facilities at Kekaha Elementary School, Kaua‘i
• $325,000 repair and resurfacing outdoor play court
• $300,000 architectural barrier removal at the Waimea Canyon Middle School, Kaua‘i
• $2 million for covered pick-up and drop-off area for Wilcox Elementary School, Kaua‘i

Hawaiian Homelands

• $20 million for lot development, statewide

Human Services

• $5 million for repair and maintenance of Hawaii Public House Authority facilities, statewide

Hawaiʻi Health Systems Corporation

• $650,000 for a 3D mammography machine at Kaua‘i Veterans Memorial Hospital
• $1.3 million to purchase and install CT scanner at Samuel Mahelona Memorial Hospital, Kaua‘i
• $1.4 million to renovate the CT scan room at Samuel Mahelona Memorial Hospital
• $500,000 for plans, design, construction and equipment for environmental impact statement at the Samuel Mahelona Memorial Hospital
• $1.3 million to purchase and install CT scanner at Kaua‘i Veterans Memorial Hospital
• $300,000 renovate the IT department at Kaua‘i Veterans Memorial Hospital
• $8.7 million for improvement and renovations for the Hawaiʻi Health Systems Corporation, Kaua‘i

Health

• $930,000 for the design and construction of necessary improvements at Department of Health facilities, statewide

Infrastructure for Kaua‘i

• $500,000 for plans and design for a 50-acre sports complex in Anahola, to include gymnasium, baseball fields, regulation rodeo arena and stables
• $1.5 million for construction of a ticket booth, a food booth and comfort stations, with matching funds for the county
• $12 million for water system improvements of the Kalaheo-Lawai-Omao water system, with matching 20% of the state funds from the county
• $2 million for upgrading of wind strength capacity of Kilauea Gym, with partial matching funds by the county
• $3 million for chlorination facilities at the Kīlauea water system
• $1.4 million for improvements and renovations for Paua Valley Tank at the Waimea-Kekaha water system

Labor and Industrial Relations

• $10 million for the modernization of the Unemployment Insurance Information Technology system, statewide

Land and Natural Resources

• $220,000 for septic system improvements at Pua Loke Baseyard, Kaua‘i
• $150,000 nursery and facility renovations, Kaua’i
• $800,000 for comfort stations at the Russian Fort Elizabeth State Historical Park, Kaua‘i

Transportation

• $92 million for congestion relief on Kūhiō Highway from Hanamaulu to Kapa‘a, Kaua‘i
• $23 million for improvements to the Līhuʻe Airport facilities and terminal, Kaua‘i
• 15 million for capital improvement projects at Nāwiliwili Harbor, Kaua‘i
• $4 million for capital improvement projects at Port Allen Harbor, Kaua‘i
• $2.2 million for maintenance and repairs on guardrails and shoulder improvements on state highways, Kaua‘i
• $500,000 for Kuhio Highway intersection improvements at Kolo Road / Kalamania Road, Kaua‘i
• $2 million for widening and drainage improvements on Kūhiō Highway, Kaua‘i
• $2.2 million for slope stabilization at Lumahai Hillside on Kūhiō Highway, Kaua‘i
• $500,000 for reconfiguration of the Akukini Road and Kapule Highway, Kaua‘i
• $7 million for traffic operational improvements to existing intersections and highways, Kaua‘i
• $100,000 for improvements Waimea Canyon Drive / Koke‘e Road improvements, Kaua‘i

University of Hawaiʻi

• $23 million for minor repairs at community colleges, statewide