O'ahu to add traffic lights

By Scott Ishikawa
Transportation Writer

Drivers may be seeing red more often at O'ahu intersections thanks to city plans to install more traffic lights.

The city is planning to place several new stoplights on O'ahu next year, but officials admit that other measures will eventually be needed to deal with traffic congestion.

Most of the planned stoplights will be outside of Honolulu.

"What it means is traffic congestion is expanding outside of metropolitan O'ahu," said Cheryl Soon, city Department of Transportation Services director.

As of this year, there are approximately 750 city-operated traffic signals. Five years ago, there were 650.

The latest stoplights will be placed at the intersections of:

• Hikimoe and Mokuola streets in Waipahu.
• Waipahu and Leoku Streets in Waipahu.
• Makakilo Drive and Palailai Street; and Makakilo Drive and Palahia streets in Makakilo.
• Ulune and Kaimakani streets, and 'Aiea Heights Drive and Honohono Street in 'Aiea.
• Lualualei Homestead Road and Leihoku Street in Wa'ianae near Leihoku Elementary School.
• Kuakini and Alaneo streets in Nu'uanu.
• Kamilonui Valley in Hawai'i Kai.

Other stoplights also are planned this year for the intersections of:

• California Avenue and Rose Street in Wahiawa.
• South and Pohukaina streets and Ward and Halekauwila streets in downtown Honolulu.

Soon said the latest traffic signals are needed for both motorist and pedestrian safety.

Waipahu Neighborhood Board chairwoman Annette Yamaguchi said the two stoplights in her community are needed to help bus riders and senior citizens cross nearby intersections.

The board pushed the city for the traffic signals.

For streets and intersections that don't warrant a traffic light, but still pose problems for pedestrians, Soon said the city has focused more on traffic slowing measures to curb speeding.

Traffic slowing measures are also cheaper to build and maintain compared with traffic signals, transportation officials said.