Posted on: Thursday, June 3, 2004
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BUREAUCRACY BUSTER
Nimitz area due for cleanup
By Robbie Dingeman
Advertiser Staff Writer
Q. I was wondering who is in charge of maintaining Nimitz Highway near the Airport Viaduct. Under the freeway, there is lots of trash, overgrown weeds and homeless people with their broken tents. What's going on there?
State Department of Transportation spokesman Scott Ishikawa said the private landscaping company that was in charge of maintaining the Nimitz area under H-1 pulled out of its contract in February.
"We are in the process of putting out a temporary work order to do the work until we can get a more long-term bid contract in place with another maintenance company," he said.
As for the homeless situation along Nimitz, Ishikawa said the state installed chain-link fencing and barbed wire last summer to keep people out, but some have cut the fence to get back in. He said the state will work with police to ask the homeless people to leave the area again.
"It's costing us $50,000 annually to clean up after the homeless under the H-1 Airport Viaduct and other state bridges." he said. "That includes removal of hazardous waste material, human waste, car batteries, abandoned vehicles, etc."
Ishikawa said police will be involved because of the sensitivity of the situation. He said the last time state transportation workers went in there, "some of our crews were being threatened while they were cleaning up."
• • • Q. When are the stoplights at the intersection of Sixth and Pahoa avenues going to be activated? There has been back-and-forth bantering at Neighborhood Board meetings; answers from city officials have been noncommittal and changing every month. The main concern is safety in this dangerous intersection. What is it going to take to have the lights become functional?
A. The traffic signals will be activated before the end of June, according to Vicki Borges, executive assistant in the mayor's office. The project was delayed because of the concrete strike. She said new signs and wheelchair ramps have been installed and loop sensors are now being worked on.
• • • Q. The walk signal to cross Farrington Highway at Helelua Street in Nanakuli has been inoperable for three or four months now. I have called about this problem a couple of times and nothing is happening.
A. The pedestrian signal was repaired on May 24, Borges said.
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