New signs of costly times

By James Gonser
Advertiser Urban Honolulu Writer

An elaborate project under construction in Nu'uanu is drawing attention to city plans to spend at least $2 million for community identification signs in more than a dozen neighborhoods across O'ahu during a municipal budget crunch.

Stonemasons from Quality General erect one of two signs that will mark the entrances to Nu'uanu. This one on Waokanaka Street has a counterpart at Wyllie Street. The city project's full cost is estimated at $576,000. Richard Ambo • The Honolulu Advertiser

Papakolea residents managed to build their own community sign in 1998 at a cost of just $500, with volunteer labor and donations.

The 'Aina Haina, top, and Hawai'i Kai, above, signs were part of a two-sign project costing the city $190,000. The relatively simple markers are unlike far more elaborate signs planned elsewhere. Deborah Booker • The Honolulu Advertiser

The signs are not the simple affairs consisting of two posts and a carved wood or metal sign that long served to let people know they were entering a community.

The designs range from basic — a simple stone marker in 'Aina Haina that came as part of a $190,000, two-sign package — to elaborate two 12-foot-high entrance gates in Chinatown that cost $264,668.

But the grandest by far is a project in Nu'uanu that will feature a monument at either end of the valley with stone walls, sprinkler systems and landscaping costing $576,000.

The city says the signs are projects that the communities asked for through their vision teams and that they do far more than just announce the town's name, primarily by letting drivers know they're entering a residential area and should slow down.

Counting planning and design costs, construction and landscaping, more than $1 million has been spent on three sign projects, five more in some phase of development will cost at least $1 million more and seven others are being planned — but no cost is available on them, according to the city.

But when signs can be done for a fraction of the amount — the Papakolea community sign cost $500 — the projects raise questions about why the signs cost so much and about the rationale for spending such an amount when the city is cutting services and raising taxes to balance its budget.

Driving up the cost

Murray Luther, champion for a Hawai'i Kai sign that came as part of the two-sign package with 'Aina Haina, said too many people are involved in most city projects, from architects, to consultants to planners, which drives the cost up.

"They just pile this stuff on and everybody gets a cut," he said. "Concrete only costs so much."

City managing director Ben Lee said many factors drive up the cost of the signs, from having to buy property or getting rights-of-way and permits to developing infrastructure, such as water meters and irrigation systems.

"It is not just 'Here is $250,000 for an entrance or community sign,' " said Lee. "The one at Waokanaka (Street) in Nu'uanu clearly was something that the vision group put in as a very high priority. It is not only a sign and beautification project but something that will slow down traffic as they come in the neighborhood."

But the grandeur of the Nu'uanu sign has surprised even advocates.

Nu'uanu vision group member Mike Ellis, a fifth-generation resident of Nu'uanu Valley, said the new signs are larger than he expected, looking more like a heiau than a community sign.

"I didn't envision it to be the way it has turned out to be," he said. "All we really wanted initially was a real simple moss rock wall, 6 or 8 feet wide by 5 feet high that will say Nu'uanu Valley, but it got a little carried away. People have asked me if there is going to be a waterfall come over it."

Limited participation

Stonemasons Alfred Cornelio Jr., left, William Pangonen, middle, and Nemy Dizor, right, from Quality General, erect a one of two signs that will mark the entrances to the Nu'uanu community. Richard Ambo • The Honolulu Advertiser

Paula Kurashige, a Nu'uanu/Punchbowl Neighborhood Board and area vision team member said usually only about a dozen residents take part in vision meetings, and with limited participation this expansive gateway is not necessarily what everyone in the community wanted.

"I had no idea they would be so big and cost so much," Kurashige said. "It doesn't seem right. I wanted the project to come out to the community."

Luther said despite the cost and years of effort, the Hawai'i Kai and 'Aina Haina signs were worth it.

"I've had a lot of community people say how pleased they are with the sign," Luther said. "A community does appreciate having their own identity. A sign, if it is done properly, lends itself to that."

Lee said landscape architects who present plans to the vision teams have a tendency to design them as if they were fronting a resort like Waikoloa or the Hilton Hawaiian Village.

"The design consultants and the landscape architects, when they meet with the community they are very enthusiastic about a project and show them several schemes," Lee said. "The residents basically like what they see."

The two community signs being built along the Pali Highway in Nu'uanu are intended to define and beautify the historic residential community and help slow traffic along the busy and dangerous road. The signs are at either end of Nu'uanu Valley, at Wyllie Street and Waokanaka Street. The rock walls and signs themselves will be completed in about a month. The landscaping and irrigation are expected to take another month to complete.

"These signs tell motorists they are entering a residential area," said city spokeswoman Carol Costa. "When combined with the state projects — rumble strips, traffic signal and those signs that just went up recording the speed of each vehicle — a lot is being done by city and state to help this community deal with speeders."

Part of larger projects

Some of the sign projects are part of much larger projects. The Pearl City signage is part of developing a historic trail, and the Kalihi signs are part of a $2 million improvement project.

"We have a host of signs that are either constructed, soon to be constructed, in design or in the planning stages," Costa said. "Obviously, vision groups think it's important to define their neighborhood and work toward the safety of residents."

Papakolea managed to build its own community sign in 1998 with $500 and volunteer labor. Residents built the rock wall, and members of the Rotary Club of Honolulu Sunrise donated their expertise for planning and design work and labor as well as the money for the rocks. Tropical Clay donated the ceramic tiles.

The Kailua Urban Design Task Force, a nonprofit community group, paid a "couple thousand dollars" to repair and landscape that town's community sign about five years ago. The simple tile sign was put up by residents in the 1960s.

City Councilwoman Ann Kobayashi said identification signs may be important for communities, but having vision teams spending millions on them may be inappropriate in tough economic times.

"We are looking at this whole vision team process," Kobayashi said. "It is a good process; we should have vision teams talking about what is needed in the community. But maybe we shouldn't give them a set amount of money and instead let them plan for the community and then we can look at projects and see how much it might cost. I think that is a better way."

After three months of wrestling with city budget proposals, the City Council this month unanimously passed a $1.169 billion operating budget for the fiscal year starting July 1 that will raise property tax rates, adult bus fares and prices for the city's pet sterilization program, and trimmed $900,000 from a budget proposed by Mayor Jeremy Harris.

The budget also eliminated two satellite city halls, mobile satellite city hall service to five other communities, and services at the Office of Economic Development.

Reach James Gonser at jgonser@honoluluadvertiser.com or 535-2431.