"A lot of high-priced and complicated solutions were considered, but when everything is said and done, the fix will probably end up costing no more than $5,000," said Don Dymond, who owns the Kalapawai Market fronting the problem area. "Ask anybody who lives in Lanikai, and they'll tell you they're happier now."

The improvement is an example of what some people are describing as a change in the way state and county officials deal with traffic congestion across the state. Instead of relying on large, multimillion-dollar highway construction and widening projects, officials increasingly are thinking small, looking for ways to fix problems without throwing heaps of money at them.

"At long last they are finally looking for commonsense solutions to our traffic problems," said Sen. Fred Hemmings, who has lobbied state officials for years to take such an approach. "There are hundreds of other things we can do like this, to provide tremendous relief for those stuck in traffic."

Hemmings and other officials credited small-scale changes such as synchronizing traffic signals, starting a contraflow lane on Nimitz Highway or adding an extra turn lane here and there with easing problems in specific areas.

Cumulatively, they may add up to bigger things.

A national report released last week found that Hawai'i drivers spend 40 percent less time stuck in peak-hour traffic jams than they did 10 years ago. While many drivers doubt details of the report, officials said it's clear traffic would have gotten worse without the fixes already undertaken.

"We're looking at things we can do quickly, cheaply and effectively. We're looking at things we can do right now," said state Transportation Director Rod Haraga.

The idea is one endorsed by national transportation officials, who say local engineers are realizing they can no longer just build their way out of traffic problems.

"To make real progress, it's critical that we pursue all transportation solutions, including short-range, small-scale projects and policies," said Tim Lomax, who wrote last week's Urban Mobility Report from the Texas Transportation Institute.

Lomax noted that many of the cities that fared best in the report have tried to improve traffic in creative ways, such as synchronizing lights, expanding car pool lanes, improving highway communications and creating fast-response highway incident teams that clear backlogs quickly.

Similar projects have been implemented or are being planned in Hawai'i, said DOT spokesman Scott Ishikawa.

In the past year, the state has opened a contraflow lane on Nimitz Highway and closed an on-ramp on the H-1 Freeway during morning rush hour. Both projects significantly have reduced travel time for morning commuters at minimal construction cost, Ishikawa said.

The state plans two more congestion-relief projects that don't involve building new roads. One calls for a new freeway service patrol of roving tow trucks that would handle minor problems and clear stalled vehicles. The service, expected to start within two years, would be free to motorists.

The state also is taking more interest in ramp metering, Ishikawa said. Many communities use a small traffic signal that allows vehicles to enter a freeway at five-second intervals, creating a more even flow of traffic.

"We're really trying to think outside the box," Ishikawa said.

Similar ideas have been proposed before, but got bogged down in bureaucratic wrangling, or held back by dissent in the community, said Hemmings, R-25th (Kailua, Waimanalo, Portlock).

"A lot of time, especially in politics, there are nearsighted people who can't see beyond the immediate squeaky wheel," Hemmings said. "It takes a tough

political will to see past the protesters and do what's right for the majority of the people."

Lanikai resident Dymond believes bureaucrats and elected officials finally are getting that message. "They're realizing that you can't fix everything simply by throwing money at it," he said. "And they're finally listening to what people have to say. After all, we're the ones who live here and deal with problems every day."

Haraga said part of the change has been a willingness to work with community leaders and sell them on projects, some of which had been stalled for years because of community concerns.

"The Nimitz contraflow plan was a sure-fire winner, but we had to work for months to package it and sell it the community. We did it by starting with a demonstration project that helped people see how it works," he said.

The emphasis on quick fixes doesn't preclude longer-term, more expensive highway building and widening projects or planning for a mass transit system on O'ahu.

"Eventually the big projects will come on line to alleviate some of the problems, but they take years to plan and complete," Haraga said. "Meanwhile, we need to keep working on the stuff we can do now."

Reach Mike Leidemann at 525-5460 or mleidemann@honoluluadvertiser.com.