Solving O'ahu's traffic problems is a complex matter, however, one that goes far beyond the scope of Honolulu Hale, political observers say.

It's a problem that requires cooperation from the state and federal government, the City Council and — perhaps most important — a public willing to pay for the fixes. It involves measures as small as adding more speed bumps on local streets and as grand as redesigning a master plan for the island.

So whether Duke Bainum or Mufi Hannemann emerges as mayor Nov. 2, there's unlikely to be any quick improvement to the traffic congestion, pot-holed roads or development of a new mass-transit system.

But in interviews from Wai'anae to Kaka'ako last week, residents made it clear they expect to see at least some progress on many transportation fronts.

"Getting anywhere can be a big pain," said 19-year-old Pennington Marshall, who spends at least two hours a day commuting between his home in Makaha and his job as a cook in Honolulu. "There are all kinds of things they need to work on."

They've also offered relatively few opinions on other transportation issues, including how to deal with congestion, deteriorating roads, the city bus system and the need for another road linking Leeward O'ahu to the rest of the island.

"Transportation is absolutely the biggest issue the city has to face, so whatever happens is

going to have to start with the mayor and work its way up and down," said Kuhner, who usually rides a bus to work but drives on errands around the city.

Here's a detailed look at some of the transportation issues facing the next mayor, and what some Honolulu residents think he should do about them.

Traffic congestion: With more than 800,000 vehicles registered on O'ahu, streets are jammed. But many of the most congested roads — including all the freeways and major highways — are under state control, so there's little city officials can do to ease the traffic pains. Any highway construction would depend on state action and federal funding.

Easing congestion in neighborhoods, urban centers and highway feeder routes is a city responsibility.

"There are all kinds of things to be done, like synchronizing traffic lights, starting new contraflow lanes and reversing one-way street patterns," said Dennis McCoola, an insurance broker from 'Aiea who spends most of his day on the road. "They need to start looking at all the engineering solutions other places are trying to get traffic moving again."

Mass transit: A high-level state/city task force has recommended building a new billion-dollar light-rail system from Kapolei to Iwilei, but lawmakers now say they are waiting for the next mayor to take the lead in proposing details and financing possibilities.

Three times in the past three decades, Honolulu has spent millions of dollars designing similar mass-transit plans, only to have politicians balk at the last minute for either financial or political reasons.

Now some residents say it's time to bite the bullet.

"They can't keep operating from fear. It's time to be strong and do the right thing," said Judy Dilgard, a Honolulu resident who does most of her traveling by bicycle or bus.

Others say the city should look at bond issues, service fees, a lottery or tax increases if necessary to get a new mass-transit system built.

"It might not be popular, but if you don't do something, things will just keep getting worse," said Tom Read, a federal government retiree living in 'Ewa Beach.

"People would be willing to pay a little extra for it, because it's a pain to drive into town," said Rebekah Brown, who lives with her husband on Hickam Air Force Base.

TheBus: With any light-rail plan at least a decade away, buses will remain the city's main mass-transit mode for the immediate future.

Hannemann and Bainum have both said they'll scrap Mayor Jeremy Harris' Bus Rapid Transit system, which would have turned parts of some city streets into dedicated bus lanes.

With about 200,000 riders daily, and an annual city subsidy topping $100 million, bus operations consume a large part of a mayor's transportation concerns, and often result in a disproportionate number of complaints.

"The bus is easier and cheaper than a car, but it takes too long," Marshall said.

"They've got enough buses, but they always seem to come together. They need to get their timing down," added Eddie Arsiga, a retiree from Nanakuli.

Potholes and repaving: Budget cutbacks in the past decade have forced city officials to slow the pace of repaving and repairing city streets. Despite spending almost $40 million on regular and emergency repairs this year, many neighborhood streets and connector roads are years overdue for repaving or more expensive reconstruction.

"I see cars damaged by potholes almost every day," said Stephanie Heal, who lives in Kaimuki and works in the service department of a Honolulu auto dealership. "It's not really getting any better."

Bikes, back roads, etc. Other transportation issues that the new mayor will have to at least consider:

• A growing number, and increasingly vocal group, of bicyclists. "There are a lot more people with bikes, but it's still very dangerous here. We need more bike paths and other safe places to ride," said Yuko Kobayashi, a Kapi'olani Community College student.

• An intraisland ferry for commuters. Although several previous trials have had underwhelm-

ing response, many residents think a well-placed ferry would be successful. "A viable ferry from 'Ewa Beach would lure a lot of people out of their cars," Read said.

• A secondary access road for Wai'anae to use when Farrington Highway is closed by an accident or other emergency. The city has been working on cobbling together a network of secondary roads that can be used, but the process is not complete. "That's a must," Arsiga said. "They've been promising it for over 20 years, and we're still waiting."