Transportation funding forecast to come up short
Kauai County is expected to experience a $2.2 billion shortfall in transportation funds even as the island’s population continues to grow, officials warned at a public hearing last week.
"There’s way more need than there is money," Paul Luersen, a project consultant for CH2M Hill, said at the meeting Thursday in Lihue. Officials estimated the island will need $3.2 billion to keep up with transportation projects through 2035, the Garden Island newspaper reported.
But the island is forecast to receive less than $1 billion in state and federal funding.
During that same time, the population is expected to grow by more than 30 percent to 85,200 residents.
Makua Lani offers to buy Kona campus
Makua Lani Christian Academy has submitted an offer for the Hualalai Academy campus in Kona, after Kamehameha Schools decided against purchasing the property.
Hualalai Academy announced the change Friday, the Hawaii Tribune-Herald reports.
"Many of our current students are transferring to Makua Lani so they will be able to ‘stay home’ on the campus that they are so familiar with," Hualalai Board Chairman Matt James said.
If the sale is completed, Makua Lani officials said, they would move to the Hualalai campus this summer, with the intent of opening for classes in late summer. Kamehameha Schools withdrew its offer last week.
Hualalai officials announced last fall they would be closing the high school because of financial problems. In January they announced the entire school would close at the end of the year.
