KAHULUI, Maui — Even with Hawaii Superferry reporting record business last month, there was little impact on roads around Kahului Harbor, according to a state report.

The Department of Transportation is hoping the latest traffic study, and a recently completed environmental assessment with similar findings, will bring an end to litigation by groups worried the new interisland ferry would increase congestion at harbor intersections.

As it stands, trial is scheduled for Nov. 17 on a complaint brought by the Maui Tomorrow Foundation, Friends of Haleakala National Park and the Kahului Harbor Coalition.

Still pending is an appeal of a Maui court ruling upholding a new state law, known as Act 2, that allowed the ferry to operate while an environmental impact statement is undertaken by the DOT. The plaintiffs in that case are Maui Tomorrow, the Kahului Harbor Coalition and the Sierra Club.

Maui Circuit Judge Joel August on Friday agreed to temporarily lift his order requiring the DOT to supply "trained traffic control officers" to regulate the flow of vehicles in and out of Superferry's harbor site and onto some of the island's busiest roads.

August scheduled a July 25 status conference to review the situation and determine whether the officers — off-duty police hired at Superferry expense — are still needed.

When asked by The Advertiser how traffic control would be handled, Hawaii Superferry replied in an e-mail that it would "continue to work closely with the Maui Police Department and the Kahului Harbor District Office to ensure that the safe, efficient flow of ferry traffic entering and exiting the Kahului Ferry Terminal continues. The company will evaluate traffic control measures on an ongoing basis and make adjustments accordingly."

MORE DATA NEEDED

Deputy Attorney General William Wynhoff told The Advertiser on Friday he is hoping the parties involved in the dispute will agree that traffic concerns have been addressed and the case can be dropped.

But Irene Bowie of Maui Tomorrow said "it's too soon" for officials to close the books on ferry-related traffic impacts because Superferry hasn't been operating long enough to establish reliable data.

The company initially operated for two days in August, relaunched Dec. 13 and lost a total of two weeks of service due to rough seas before its high-speed vessel went into drydock for repairs Feb. 13. The ferry returned April 7 and added a second Honolulu-to-Maui sailing May 9.

"Even with those numbers that they reported (for May) it still wasn't even half of the load they are capable of carrying, so I don't think the traffic studies were adequate," Bowie said. "And if Superferry is going to be successful, there's going to be more vehicle numbers."

Superferry's 350-foot vessel can carry 866 people and 282 cars.

The county, which intervened in the lawsuit, also has questions about future traffic impacts, especially if court-ordered controls are removed, said Deputy Corporation Counsel Jane Lovell.

She said traffic "seems to be flowing pretty well" with the help of the officers. "Right now all of their actual counts have been done with trained traffic control officers there," Lovell said. "But how is it going to work, a) if the ferry service takes off, and b) if we don't have those officers there? We don't know.

"We need more history to see how thing go and if their ridership goes up."

Wynhoff noted the traffic issue will undergo additional study under a separate environmental impact statement required by Act 2 and another EIS being prepared for the 2030 Kahului Harbor Master Plan.

He also said Superferry has "as much incentive as anyone to make sure there's not a traffic jam out there."

SMOOTH PROCESS

August last year ruled that a DOT environmental study on the 2025 Kahului Harbor Master Plan Improvements that included a road project used by the ferry was inadequate with respect to potential traffic impacts. He ordered the agency to perform a supplemental assessment and undertake interim measures to keep vehicles arriving and departing on the ferry from interfering with normal traffic flows.

The supplemental assessment with a finding of no significant impact was completed in April and no challenges were filed by the May 23 deadline, according to Wynhoff.

The latest traffic analysis, filed June 2 with the court, involves observations conducted as part of a broader "rapid risk assessment" of all aspects of ferry operations. That $250,000 effort is being done by Belt Collins on the DOT's behalf, in connection with Act 2.

The traffic analysis by subcontractor Fehr & Peers/Kaku Associates focused on intersections at Wharf Street and Ka'ahumanu Avenue and near the ferry's main gates at Pu'unene Avenue and Ka'ahumanu.

One of the observation periods occurred over the four-day Memorial Day weekend, when Superferry reported its heaviest loads yet.

The highest vehicle load during the May 23-26 period occurred Friday, May 23, when a total of 683 vehicles passed through the ferry's Kahului site, the report said. That included 188 vehicles arriving on the morning sailing, 75 departures, and the 119 vehicles that passed through to pick up or drop off passengers.

The evening voyage saw 153 vehicles arrive from Honolulu, 59 leave, and 89 pass through to pick up or drop off passengers.

The observers noted that it took 25 to 35 minutes for all vehicles to exit the harbor after unloading commenced.

"Both intersections operated freely without congestion on all four days during the ferry loading and unloading of vehicles, with little or no queuing of vehicles on any approach of the intersections and without any delays associated with ferry operations," the report said.

PARKING ISSUES

The observers noted that traffic control officers do not allow vehicles to exit the ferry site unless queuing space is available on Pu'unene Avenue, and that cars are kept from blocking access to First Hawaiian Bank's main Maui branch opposite the ferry gate.

The traffic analysis did bring to mind two issues that have been raised about the adequacy of Superferry traffic planning: the lack of on-site parking or off-site parking within walking distance for passengers who don't take their cars on the ferry, and the additional traffic from vehicles dropping off and picking up passengers.

Superferry officials have said they expected a small percentage of walk-on passengers and fewer than 40 cars passing through the site to drop off or pick up passengers.

The observers noted requests by Honolulu-bound passengers for parking, and reported the company had created a station on its site where passengers can wait for taxis and rental car shuttles.

The company told The Advertiser it is working with DOT to evaluate off-site parking options at Kahului Harbor.