Posted on: Wednesday, November 10, 2004

Big Island finalizing free bus zones

By Kevin Dayton
Advertiser Big Island Bureau

HILO, Hawai'i — Big Island transportation officials are poised to offer free bus trips down some of the island's busiest roadways in an effort to ease traffic congestion.

In a program modeled loosely after the free service in Seattle, Mayor Harry Kim's administration earlier this year proposed that free bus rides be provided within a 25-mile corridor from Kealia in South Kona to the Kona airport area.

Passengers getting on or off county buses within that area would not be charged the usual $2.25 fare.

County Council members liked the idea so much they dramatically expanded it, declaring a 75-mile stretch from Ka'u to Kawaihae to be a "kokua zone," with free bus service offered to travelers within that area.

The council also designated a second kokua zone, on the 20-mile stretch from Pahoa to Hilo. The council is scheduled to consider the measure for final approval today.

Big Island transit administrator Tom Brown said the two-year program is expected to cost the county $16,000 to $20,000 a year in lost fares, but that it will be worth it.

"To me the social impact will far outweigh the cost, that's how I look at it," Brown said. "It will help people get out of their cars and give them an accessible mode of transportation in Kona."

The Big Island has limited public transportation offerings, with only about 28 passenger buses on the road.

A federal grant will allow the county to add another dozen buses soon, and Brown said starting in January the county will double its service in Kona from four or five runs each day to eight to 10 per day.

Puna Councilman Gary Safarik said he favors the kokua zone program as a way to provide affordable transportation to low-income residents, a goal he said is just as important as easing traffic tie-ups on the Kea'au-to-Pahoa highway.

Thousands of Puna residents make the trip from the Pahoa area to Hilo for work each day, and Safarik said "the verdict is out" on how much of a difference the program will make in the traffic flow.

"It's one of those things where you've got to try to do the best you can, advertise it properly, and really it's going to be up to the public on whether they're going to embrace it or not," he said. "I think people are going to embrace it."

Kona Councilman Joe Reynolds said he supports the effort, but said true traffic relief will have to wait for the $23 million in road construction the Kim administration has planned for Kona.

"I guess anything helps, but when you've got several thousand vehicles coming from both directions daily, the only thing that's really going to help is getting more roads," Reynolds said. "People aren't going to stop coming here."

Reach Kevin Dayton at kdayton@honoluluadvertiser.com or (808) 935-3916.