Based on issues coming out of Honolulu Hale, it appears a lot of local people want to spend more money to get places faster, whether it's establishing a rail transit system or filling potholes.

As a former Pearl City resident, I can attest that spending time in traffic is a miserable way to waste part of a day. But I'd like to suggest another option for occupying yourself during rush hour — a city stroll.

Unlike some cities I've lived in on the East Coast and in the Midwest, Honolulu remains one of the safest in the country. I know, because I cover crime for the paper, and compared to urban areas on the Mainland, our city is mellow.

So benign are the Honolulu streets that I've taken up hiking around our urban neighborhoods.

My night walks range from short jaunts from my downtown apartment to the Ala Moana Blockbuster, to longer treks like to Kahala Mall and back. I've even hiked through Kalihi, past Farrington High School and the Filipino bakeries to TheBus depot to watch the traffic on the H-1 airport viaduct whizz by at night.

One Sunday, during the final game of the UH baseball team's three-game set against the University of Southern California, I set out for Les Murakami Stadium.

It takes roughly an hour and 10 minutes to get there, and so I spent that time checking out Mo'ili'ili.

Many buildings along King Street are old, single-story structures, no matter how modern the businesses are that occupy the retail space.

Between the buildings, narrow cement alleys lead to small parking lots and even older plantation houses.

Most of the businesses are restaurants, and apart from the high-end places and fast-food joints, many are staffed by two or three generations. Some families live and work either above or behind the business, creating small warrens of life amid otherwise unremarkable storefronts.

Another evening, walking back from Starbucks in Manoa, the sounds of a choir singing caught my ear near the Honolulu Academy of Arts. As I passed the Burger King on Beretania, I realized the singing came from a church.

I paused at the bottom of the steps leading behind the bushes to the chapel.

"Go on in, it's for everyone," said an elder Chinese man who was pushing his grandson in a stroller.

As I climbed the steps, the singing grew louder, and as I rounded the bushes, I saw the biggest choir I've ever seen. A mostly Tongan congregation was singing in unison.

So next time you are inching along in traffic, think about waiting out the gridlock by taking a city stroll. It's a nice way to clear your head. You'll be amazed at what you find, and after all, it's for everyone.

Reach Peter Boylan at pboylan@honoluluadvertiser.com.