By James Gonser
Advertiser Leeward Bureau
‘EWA BEACH — On March 6, the city will discontinue the only public bus service into Navy housing at Iroquois Point.
 |
| The Navy permanently closed the back gate to its housing area at Iroquois Point, at the end of Fort Weaver Road in 'Ewa Beach, in July 1999. The city said it will end bus service to the area because it now takes an hour to make the trip.
Bruce Asato • The Honolulu Advertiser |
The city says Route 421 takes too much time since the Navy closed its back gate, and there aren’t enough riders on base to warrant service. But a group of Iroquois Point residents that wants the service to keep operating presented a petition with 55 signatures last week to the ‘Ewa Neighborhood Board asking for help.
Board chairwoman Mary Miyashiro said a majority of the board voted in November to support ending TheBus route 421 shuttle service into Iroquois Point. Miyashiro said since the Navy closed its back gate at the end of Fort Weaver Road in 1999, it now takes an hour for the shuttle to make a complete trip.
Ending city bus service to Iroquois Point would cut shuttle time in half for other area passengers, but the approximately 900 residents in Navy housing would be left with a nearly two-mile trip to the closest bus stop.
Paul Stephens, with the city Public Transit Division of the Department of Transportation Services, said when the bus used to go through the back gate, there was no problem.
"Because that gate is closed, we have to go along North Road to go in the main gate," Stephens said. "That is a long ride in which no one gets on or off. It is really expending a lot of resources to make that trip out there."
Stephens said an hour-long shuttle service through ‘Ewa is not meeting residents’ needs.
"As we look at not just Iroquois Point, but any point on the island, we have to match demand with resources," Stephens said. "There are not that many people coming off the base on the bus. We would love to continue it, but it is just a long way down North Road just to get into the base."
Every hour the bus is "just jammed," he said. "It is not providing good service to ‘Ewa Beach."
Stephens said the city asked the Navy to reopen the back gate but was told it had to be kept closed for security reasons.
If the gate were open, "Then we could service Iroquois Point and also provide half-hour service and make everybody happy," he said. "Unfortunately, the Navy couldn’t see fit to reopen the back gate."
Lt. Cmdr. Coral McIntosh, who represents the Navy at board meetings, declined to comment on the situation.
Stephens said the city offered to provide the Navy with a free bus to run its own shuttle service and connect with the city bus outside the base, but the Navy declined. A similar arrangement has worked successfully at Pearl Harbor, he said.
At the November board meeting, Iroquois Point resident Audrey Reed said she was shocked to learn that the bus service was being cut off.
"At the housing meeting it was determined that the real problem was the low ridership," Reed told the board. "It seems that they are pitting those that want to have half-hour service against those of us that live in the housing. The only way that we can get to and from the base is by the No. 421 bus. I am asking you to not discontinue our service because it will leave us stranded."
Miyashiro said when the Navy closed the back gate, it didn’t fully convey all the ramifications to area residents.
"They are going to be suffering in Iroquois Point," she said.
[back to top] |
