By Gordon Y.K. Pang
Advertiser Staff Writer

Q. The concrete barriers that divide the town portion of H-1 are so short, in some areas under three feet tall. Does the Department of Transportation have plans to raise these barriers?

A. Your question is timely. The Department of Transportation recently advertised for bids for an H-1 Freeway rehabilitation project from Ola Lane to Kalihi Street, according to DOT spokesman Scott Ishikawa. One portion of the project will raise the freeway medians and add glare screens, raising the barrier height to 46 inches, Ishikawa said. The standard median height now without the glare screen is 32 inches.

Q. I drive a sport utility vehicle and want to install larger tires. Would I need to get a reconstruction permit regardless of how much my tire size increases? How do the reconstruction requirements apply to lift kits?

A. A tire that extends beyond its fender well is in violation of state statutes, according Honolulu Police Department Sgt. Robert Lung. Go online and see section 291-33 of Hawai'i Revised Statutes for the complete language.

There is also a law restricting the height of tires that is based on vehicular weight, Lung said.

The car owner does not need to get a reconstruction permit for the larger tires unless he or she alters the height of the vehicle frame, Lung said. See HRS section 291-35.1 for further details.

Q. Nimitz Highway, under the diamond head end of the viaduct, is a mess in morning traffic. Everyone wants to cut out of the freeway-only lane at the last minute and into a whole line of cars in the Dillingham Boulevard lane. Can the DOT install pylons farther back to insure people will not cut in?

A. Acting Traffic Branch Chief Alvin Takeshita said his staff is familiar with the situation, which has been an area of concern for others. "Both the Nimitz ramps to the H-1 and Dillingham directions already have delineators (pylons) in the striped gore area of the separating directions," Takeshita said. "Two lanes go in the H-1 direction and the solid line being crossed is the separating line between those two lanes. The solid line is not a truly 'solid' line as crossing from the right to the left lane is allowed. However, the movement of concern is the crossing from left to right lane."

In this particular case, Takeshita said, "It is not feasible to install more delineators without compromising other safety issues." Takeshita said he would discuss the matter with the Honolulu Police Department.

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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