By Gordon Y.K. Pang
Advertiser Staff Writer

Q: Ahua Street in Mapunapuna is always flooded and barely accessible at times. Can something be done to ease the situation?

A: The city is working with the Samuel Damon Estate, the largest landowner in the Mapunapuna industrial area, to resolve the issue.

Certain parts of the Mapunapuna area have sunk over the years. The low point of the intersection at Ahua and Kilihau streets is probably 2 feet above mean sea level and will flood anytime there is a high tide of 2 feet or greater, according to Larry Leopardi, director of the Department of Facility Maintenance.

The water backs up from Moanalua Stream through the drainage system and catch basins at the corners of the intersection.

Other intersections have a similar ponding issue when the tide gets high, but Ahua-Kilihau is considered the worst, Leopardi said.

The city and the estate are undertaking an engineering study to find ways to mitigate the problem, said Tim Steinberger, director of the city Department of Design and Construction. The project is in the planning stage and expected to be done by the end of the year, at a cost of $100,000, split evenly between the parties.

Q: As I was driving along the H-1 Freeway today, I was being tailgated by another automobile. I took down the license plate number. Can the Honolulu Police Department send a citation or warning to this person? I was told that the police mail warnings to traffic violators.

A: HPD will send warnings to violators of traffic laws "caught" by other motorists or pedestrians, said Traffic Division Capt. Jose Gaytan. Take down the license plate number and, if possible, the color, model and make of the vehicle.

When it is safe to do so, call 911 and say you want to make a traffic incident report and are willing to meet with police to do so, Gaytan said. An officer will arrive to make the report.

The Police Department will send a letter to the vehicle's owner about the infraction, Gaytan said. Hopefully, that will make the motorist think next time.

Officers won't issue traffic citations for violations they have not actually witnessed. Gaytan noted that if the violation is extremely hazardous and it is safe to contact police, you may want to call if an officer can respond in time to witness the violation and issue a citation.

Do you ever get frustrated or confused trying to navigate the various layers of government? Are you looking for an answer to a simple question but can't figure out where to start? If you have a question or a problem and need help getting to the right person, you can reach The Bureaucracy Buster one of three ways:

• e-mail: buster@honoluluadvertiser.com

• Phone: 535-2454 and leave a message.

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