Posted on: Tuesday, August 5, 2003
DRIVE TIME
Readers offer up gripes, solutions for traffic woes
DriveTime readers sound off about traffic congestion, rumble strips, parking lots and other annoying things.
Build a bike path; limit number of cars
Since I moved here three years ago, it has become clear to me that a number of improvements would help the traffic flow:
• Finish the road around Ka'ena Point, which would bring economic prosperity to the Makaha area and the entire Leeward side.
• Put all utilities on the perimeter road underground. No more collisions with phone and power poles.
• Build a pedestrian/bike path along the perimeter road to allow safe travel for walkers and bikers.
• Limit the number of vehicles on the island. This would have to start now. No more cars allowed over what are already here.
— Steven Walton
Construct a new, two-lane highway
Frankly speaking, if a hole can be bored through a mountain (such as H-3 Freeway), then a two-lane (Mauka Highway) road can be constructed. — Norma Kiehn
Forget more lanes, try a rail system
I'm fascinated that H-1 is going to be widened to six lanes westbound. Do you realize that at its widest point, the New Jersey Turnpike is also six lanes in each direction? At least in New Jersey they divide the traffic into two roadways of three lanes each going the same direction.
My understanding of Hawai'i politics is that no one will even consider rail-type transit. But you've got 220,000 vehicles every day using that corridor. Maybe I don't really understand the dynamics of Hawai'i commuting, but it seems like the traffic flows mostly in a narrow west-east corridor, which is where trains seem to work well.
Obviously, rail systems are very expensive, but if West O'ahu continues to grow and the job base remains in the Honolulu area, how many more lanes are they going to put on H-1?
— Rushton Young, Connecticut
Open right-turn lane at Castle Junction
So what's up with Castle Junction?
Are they ever going to fix it so they can open the right-turn lane again? If they don't do it before school traffic starts, are they going to buy everyone in Kailua a helicopter so they can actually get to town?
Seriously, it doesn't look as if anything is happening to fix the hill, and the traffic once school starts again is going to be absolutely horrible.
— Pauline Osborne Police need to catch noise offenders
How can we call the police about illegal mufflers and boom boxes? I've seen patrol cars driving right alongside these offenders and they do nothing! They don't want to do the paperwork or get tied up in court. A lot that could be done is not being done!
— Marijane Carlos
Pedestrian overpass is better protection
Regarding the rumble strips on Pali Highway, perhaps they should be removed and pedestrian overpasses erected as in Kalihi on Likelike Highway.
Imagine: A couple of overpasses will protect the pedestrians, and you can also paint the structure with words of welcome to Nu'uanu! — Billy Dolan Mike Leidemann's Drive Time column appears every Tuesday. Reach him at 525-5460 or mleidemann@honoluluadvertiser.com.
