Posted on: Thursday, October 28, 2004

Lunalilo on-ramp project extended

By Curtis Lum
Advertiser Staff Writer

The state will extend a pilot project that closes the busy Lunalilo on-ramp to H-1 Freeway for another four months despite the objections of some residents who said last night that the morning shutdown has added up to 10 minutes to their commute.

Transportation Director Rod Haraga said the demonstration project for the most part is successful. He told a handful of residents at an informational meeting at Hawaiian Mission Academy that westbound traffic flow on the freeway near the on-ramp has increased by 2,100 cars during the morning rush hour, while travel time has been reduced three to five minutes since the project began Aug. 9.

Haraga said the state wants to observe further results that are not skewed by construction projects, before deciding whether to make the closure permanent.

That did not sit well with about a dozen Makiki and Manoa residents who attended last night's meeting. Many said the on-ramp closure has caused congestion on neighborhood streets.

Diane Chong said it takes her 10 minutes longer to get on the freeway from her Makiki home. She disputed data showing that travel time for people in her neighborhood has not changed since Aug. 9.

"That's baloney," Chong said. "I've been driving on this road for three years and I've never seen it so crowded."

Patsy Izumo, director of St. Clement's School at Wilder Avenue and Makiki Street, said parents are having problems dropping off their children each morning because of the heavy traffic around the school.