Letters to the Editor

New development will make traffic worse

For those of us who live in Mililani and work in town, the drive to and from work is intolerable when there is an accident or other traffic hindrance.

It is fairly incomprehensible that Castle & Cooke plans to add another 6,000 to 7,500 new houses between Waipi'o and Waiawa and Mililani along the H-2. These are in addition to the 13,000 homes already proposed for construction in the area. The developer added a medical facility into the pot to curry political favor for the project.

The additional traffic threatens to substantially extend the travel time of Central O'ahu residents.

The Koa Ridge project is slated to break ground in 2006 and requires rezoning of 1,250 acres of agricultural land to urban. In addition to traffic, it will impact water, schools, views, agriculture land and general quality of life in the area as shopping malls and other facilities are overburdened.

Our community leaders should use their influence to stop or force the rethinking of this badly conceived development. Housing construction needs to be planned so that it does not unduly affect quality of life for Hawai'i's residents.

Use better grade of materials for repair

Let me get this right: The city is dishing out $2 million for emergency pothole repair.

I just heard on the news that Beretania Street is getting repaved at a cost of $400,000 for repair that will only last a year. That is one-fifth of the $2 million in emergency repair. This is only a small fraction of the roads that need to be worked on. What will happen to the remaining roads that need to be fixed?

Why not use a better grade of materials that will last longer and work more effectively on our roads? If other states can use better materials, why can't we? It seems to me that the city and state still use the same materials that were used when these roads were paved generations ago. There is new technology out there.

We have more than one talented young golfer

It behooves me to think that Michelle Wie is the only young woman golfer in this wonderful state, based on media coverage. But I feel chagrined that the PGA and, of course, the local PGA officials have neglected those other talented young women golfers this state has to offer.

What about Stephanie Kono, last year's Jennie K winner? Or, what about our talent from the Neighbor Islands — Kira Murashige (Hilo High's state medalist for 2003 and a previous Jennie K winner)? Or, what about Hilo's Amanda Wilson, Kaua'i's Rachel Kyono, Maui's Lisa Kajihara?

The Neighbor Islands are always left out by the media — and to think they have all played against Michelle and won.