By Timothy Hurley
Advertiser Maui County Bureau
WAILUKU, Maui — It’s rush hour for public meetings that aim to come up with solutions to Maui’s traffic woes.
Several meetings are being planned over the next few weeks, including ones scheduled by Mayor James "Kimo’’ Apana, the Maui County Council and state Sen. Jan Buen, D-4th (West Maui, Moloka‘i, Lana‘i).
"It’s the year of traffic,’’ said Councilman Wayne Nishiki. "If we don’t do something, we are going to get hung. People have had it up to here.’’
Traffic congestion has been a major source of irritation for many Maui residents. Maui County had the highest rate of growth in the number of registered vehicles and licensed drivers in the state during the past decade, which has placed a heavy burden on a highway system that saw few major upgrades during the same period.
Concerns have been raised over the congestion’s impact on everything from quality of life for residents, to tourist satisfaction and real estate sales.
Apana yesterday announced a series of meetings designed to solicit comments, suggestions and recommendations on traffic issues. The four meetings, he said, are part of the agenda for his recently formed Transportation Action Committee, which is scheduled to submit a report with recommendations by April 4.
These will not be formal public hearings. Instead, citizens will be asked to respond to a variety of questions designed to establish baseline information on the county’s traffic situation, said Brian Miskae, senior executive assistant to the mayor. He said the public will be broken into small groups to address the issues.
The meetings, each at 7 p.m., will be Monday, Feb. 26, at the Kihei Community Center; Wednesday, Feb. 28, at the Mayor Hannibal Tavares Community Center; Thursday, March 1, at the Wailuku Community Center; and Friday, March 2, at the Lahaina Civic Center.
The council’s Public Works and Transportation Committee will hold an open forum on Maui’s traffic problems March 14 at 9 a.m. in the council chambers in Wailuku.
Councilman Michael Molina said state and county transportation officials will be invited to the meeting, which will be televised on Akaku, Maui’s public access television station.
Buen, meanwhile, is forming a West Maui Highway Action Committee, and its first meeting will be at 2 p.m. Wednesday in the Lahaina Civic Center.
"I’m really tired of the (traffic) delays and I want some action,’’ Buen said. "This is a huge problem and it needs to be fixed.’’
State Transportation Department Director Brian Minaai, and other transportation and planning officials have been invited to the initial meeting, she said.
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