Governor Abercrombie Releases $113 Million for Hawaii’s Airports and Harbors

Gov. Neil Abercrombie today announced the release of $113 million for various capital improvement projects (CIP) at airports and harbors throughout the State of Hawaii.

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“These important projects will improve the airport experience across the state – from Hilo to Lihue – as well as the efficiency and capacity at our harbors,” Gov. Abercrombie said. “Funding for many of the Honolulu Harbor improvements are part of a larger New Day Work Project that will increase harbor shipping capacity.”

Allotment of funds for the following priority projects, identified by members of the state Legislature, has been approved by the Governor:

Airports

  • $50,000,000 – Kahului Airport, Maui – Construction for a multi-lane access road from Hana Highway to the Airport Loop Road; this segment of the Kahului Airport Access Road will connect with the state Highway Division’s segment starting on Hana Highway
  • $9,800,000 – Kona International Airport at Keahole, Hawaii Island – Construction for the re-roofing of the terminal building
  • $3,000,000 – Kahului Airport, Maui – Phase I construction for restroom renovations, including the addition of restroom air conditioning
  • $590,000 – Kona International Airport at Keahole, Hawaii Island – Construction for security improvements at security checkpoints and the Airport Operations Area fence
  • $400,000 – Honolulu International Airport, Oahu – Additional funds to complete the installation of a security access control system and video monitoring equipment; the  additional construction funds are to address unforeseen site conditions relating to the existing electrical conduits and fiber optic cable backbone
  • $378,000 – Pavement Management System, Phase 1, statewide – Evaluation of the pavement conditions at Honolulu International and Kahului Airports to produce program reports to fulfill Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) requirements, plan future projects, and determine which areas need repairs or reconstruction
  • $198,716 – Molokai Airport, Molokai – Construction of a new box culvert to replace the existing trapezoidal ditch adjacent to the taxiway; this will bring the taxiway safety area into compliance with current FAA regulations
  • $160,000 – Car rental facilities, statewide – Additional plans to provide preparation of studies, project definition reports, surveys, appraisals, and conceptual plans for program management of car rental facilities at Honolulu International Airport, Kahului Airport, Lihue Airport, and Kona International Airport at Keahole
  • $152,000 – Pavement Management System, Phase 2, statewide – Evaluation of the pavement conditions at Kona International, Hilo International, and Lihue Airports to produce program reports to fulfill FAA requirements, plan future projects, and determine which areas need repairs or reconstruction

Harbors

  • $10,000,000 – Honolulu Harbor, Oahu – Construction of new mooring structures and upgrades to existing utilities and infrastructure at Piers 12 and 15 to accommodate the relocation of the Clean Island Council and Marine Spill Response Corporation vessels from Pier 35
  • $9,500,000 – Honolulu Harbor, Oahu – Construction of site improvements including utilities, pavement, and a new box culvert to support the relocation of the UH Marine Center from the Kapalama Military Reservation
  • $8,500,000 – Honolulu Harbor, Oahu – Construction for renovation of the existing building and related utilities at Pier 35 to accommodate the relocation of the University of Hawaii School of Ocean and Earth Science and Technology (UH SOEST) from the proposed new Kapalama Container Terminal project site
  • $7,500,000 – Honolulu Harbor, Oahu – Design for the new Kapalama Container Terminal project to support expanding maritime activities in the harbor, as part of the Harbors New Day Work Project; the design funds will be used for Phase 2 of the project to prepare plans, designs, specifications, and cost estimates to construct a new container yard, roadways and gates, buildings, security fencing, utility infrastructure improvements, and related activities
  • $6,000,000 – Hilo Harbor, Hawaii Island – Construction to widen Kumau Street at Hilo Harbor to accommodate container, cargo and vehicle movements between Pier 4 and Kalanianaole Avenue
  • $2,000,000 – Kalaeloa Barbers Point Harbor, Oahu – Plans to develop a dedicated fuel berth at the Piers P-3 and P-4 areas as well environmental documentation and preparation of a comprehensive master plan to guide future harbor development
  • $1,800,000 – Hilo Harbor, Hawaii – Construction management and inspections services for a new pier and related utilities at Pier 4 and to widen Kumau Street to accommodate cargo movement and vehicles
  • $1,450,000 – Honolulu Harbor, Oahu – Construction management and inspection services for the rehabilitation of buildings and yard areas at Piers 34/35, improvements to the utility systems, pavement overlay, and construction of a new box culvert
  • $1,000,000 – Honolulu Harbor, Oahu – Construction management and inspection services for the construction of new mooring structures and upgrade of existing utilities and infrastructure at Piers 12 and 15 to accommodate the relocation of the Clean Island Council and Marine Spill Response Corporation vessels that will be relocated from Pier 35
  • $600,000 – Kahului Harbor, Maui – Design to relocate the Harbors Maui District Office and demolish the existing office and a store facility in accordance with the Kahului Harbor Development Plan

Why the Honolulu Airport is Named the John Rodgers Airport

Here is the reason why the Honolulu Airport is named the John Rodgers Airport.

Commander John Rodgers

…On August 31, 1925 at 2:55 p.m., Commander John Rodgers and his crew left San Pablo Bay, San Francisco in Navy PN-9 No. 1 to attempt the first flight across the Pacific Ocean from the Mainland U.S. to Hawaii.  The plane was forced to land in the ocean at 4:15 p.m. September 1 after running out of fuel about 365 miles from Oahu.

After three days of waiting to be picked up, the heroic crew crafted sails from the wings of the plane and sailed toward Hawaii.  Their food supply was exhausted after the third day and their water ran out on the sixth day at sea.  On the tenth day, they spotted Kauai.  Ten miles off shore they encountered a submarine which towed them safely into Ahukini Harbor and a heroes welcome.  The 1,841.12 statute miles flown from August 31 to their forced landing on September 1 was accepted by the F.A. I. as a new world airline distance record for Class C seaplanes that remained unbeaten for almost five years.

John Rodgers Airport was dedicated March 21, 1927.  The principal speaker at the dedication was the Honorable E. P. Warner, Assistant Secretary of the Navy.  The field was named in honor of the late Commander John Rodgers, who had been Commanding Officer of the Naval Air Station at Pearl Harbor from 1923 to 1925, when he left to command the Navy’s historical flight between the West Coast and Hawaii…

Two years before Lindbergh flies non-stop across the Atlantic, man and machine attempt this same daring feat across the Pacific resulting in a dramatically different outcome.

 

 

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