By Mike Leidemann
Advertiser Transportation Writer

When you think about traffic congestion on O'ahu, Waimanalo isn't usually the first place that comes to mind. Instead, you think of Leeward O'ahu, H-1 Freeway, Kamehameha Highway, Fort Weaver Road, the usual suspect spots.

For most people, Waima-nalo is pretty far down the list.

Windward residents know different. They know what it's like to crawl through the rural town each day at 7:30 a.m. They know what it's like to fight the traffic home in the evening. They know firsthand and regularly the weekend traffic jams caused by thousands of beach-goers, which are only an occasional annoyance for those of us who just visit the area.

So imagine the disappointment last week when the state Transportation Department announced that it was postponing a $625,000 project to ease congestion in the area.

"It's something that's really needed — now," said Sen. Fred Hemmings, R-25th (Kailua, Waimanalo). "It's going to be hard to wait another year for it."

The work includes the installation of left-turn lanes at six intersections that frequently back up traffic now, improved bus stops, the installation of bike lanes and paths, better sidewalks and paved driveways and the updating of traffic signals.

By comparison with some highway improvement projects, this one is comparatively minor, just the way Waimanalo residents prefer it, Hemmings said.

"A couple of years ago the state came up with some big plans to widen the highway through town to four lanes," Hemmings said. "No one was in favor of that because it would have changed everything in the area."

Instead, local leaders worked with the state Transportation Department to come up with the low-key alternatives to improving traffic. Residents thought adding six turn lanes was infinitely preferable to creating a highway speed zone through the usually slow-moving area.

Now, they'll just have to wait a little longer to get what they want. The work is among eight projects totaling $26.4 million that were planned for this year but are being delayed by permit and design problems, state officials say.

State officials say the deferment is necessary to be sure the projects don't lose federal money slated for the specific work, which makes sense.

Just don't try to tell that to the folks who are stuck in traffic in Waimanalo this week.

Mike Leidemann's Drive Time column appears every Tuesday. Reach him at 525-5460 or mleidemann@honoluluadvertiser.com.