New look at staggered work hours suggested

By Gordon Y.K. Pang
Advertiser Capitol Bureau

As a new mother, Mililani resident Gena Yoshida has even more reason to detest spending three to four hours stuck in traffic for her daily commute to and from her downtown job.

"I could be spending that time with my son and husband," said Yoshida, a 29-year-old bank analyst. "Give my son a bath, have more time to play with him rather than my usual two hours a day, and eat dinner with my husband before my son goes to bed."

Yoshida wants the state and private businesses to take another look at programs that would allow more workers to do their jobs several weekdays at home or to get into the office outside of the busy time frame from 7 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

Businesses could alter their hours, she said,

"Rather than spending billions of dollars on a rail system, why not give a tax credit to participating companies?" she asked.

Yoshida's suggestions are among a number received by The Advertiser on how the Legislature can solve the state's traffic problems. Traffic and affordable housing are identified as among most pressing by lawmakers as they get ready for today's opening of the Legislature.

State Transportation Director Rod Haraga said several government agencies, in an effort to ease the traffic crunch, have policies that allow many workers to come in earlier or later. Haraga promised to take another look at coordinating efforts with businesses to take cars off the road or stagger work hours.

There have been instances when the state tried to encourage employers and employees to stagger hours. The effort hasn't been too successful, however, because too many employees are parents with school-age children who would need to find additional arrangements for their keiki if they were to work non-traditional hours, said state transportation spokesman Scott Ishikawa.

Many business operators are also often reluctant to change their hours, he said.

"Some private employees have gone along with staggered hours, but to have a whole company do it is difficult," he said. "Most businesses want their hours to coincide with everybody else."

Other ideas offered up by readers to solve traffic concerns:

• Gary Waters, a professor at Hawai'i Pacific University and Kunia resident, wants to see a temporary across-the-water causeway, set up at morning and afternoon peak traffic hours, connecting Iroquois Point in 'Ewa with Bishop Point at Hickam Air Force Base. Because it is essentially at the mouth of Pearl Harbor, a permanent bridge would likely not get the approval of the military, said Waters, a retired Navy radioman.

• David C. Johnson, a Hale'iwa attorney, suggested that motorists be imposed a "traffic congestion charge" similar to the one in London, where those who drive in thoroughfares in the center of the city must pay a fee.

Reach Gordon Y.K. Pang at gpang@honoluludvertiser.com or at 525-8070.