Double freeway idea may falter

By Robbie Dingeman
Advertiser Staff Writer

Gov. Ben Cayetano yesterday said state officials have looked at double-decker freeway proposals like the one being considered by governor-elect Linda Lingle, but the idea was rejected because of high cost, community opposition and aesthetic concerns.

Cayetano said he will share any of the gathered background with the new governor during the transition, commending her for exploring various solutions to long-term problems. "She's dreaming and that's good," he said.

Cayetano said he believes that an elevated freeway has its drawbacks because it "transfers the congestion" from Leeward to downtown.

He questioned whether charging people to use such a freeway would work because toll roads tend to work best when there is one option or very few ways to go. He said creating a reversible double-decker freeway from Kapolei to downtown would cost more than a billion dollars and likely face a tough fight in numerous neighborhoods.

"I want to make clear that we decided not to go with it because of the cost and the community opposition because of the aesthetics," Cayetano said. "In the end, she would probably come to the same conclusion that we did — that from a cost-effective point of view, the numbers don't pencil out."

He also said the Legislature should approve money for Lingle to be able to appoint deputy directors and for a full staff in the governor's office. Last year, state lawmakers failed to put money in the budget to pay for deputy directors and for 54 of 60 staff members in the governor's office.

House Speaker Calvin Say said the state lawmakers were trying to find money to balance the budget during a difficult year. "There's no malicious intent on what we did because we didn't know who was going to get elected," Say said.

Say said he expects that the Lingle administration will ask for an emergency appropriation or shuffle money from other programs and positions. "I don't see it as a major problem," Say said.

Senate President Robert Bunda said "the budget cuts made last session were not politically motivated" and that all departments were cut except for the Department of Education and the University of Hawai'i.

Cayetano said it was clear to him that lawmakers were not trying to politically handicap his successor. "They were desperately trying to find the money to balance the budget" and under tremendous pressure to not tap the Hawai'i Hurricane Relief Fund to do it.

When Cayetano took office, he said, more than 240 people worked in the governor's office, which was trimmed to 60 during his tenure. State lawmakers budgeted only six of those positions for the upcoming year. "With six people you can hardly do anything," Cayetano said. The changes were made over his objections.

"The Legislature will have to provide at least an emergency appropriation," he said, or trim money from other areas to pay for the positions so that her aides can begin work after the Dec. 2 inauguration.

Lingle spokesman Lloyd Yonenaka said she is looking at some of those options. "She has been a mayor for eight years. She understands how to run an operation."