Updated at 3:39 p.m., Wednesday, August 8, 2007
Back-to-school traffic jam to hit Hawaii drivers Aug. 20
Advertiser Staff
With nearly 60,000 O'ahu college and private school students back in class over the next three weeks, the state Department of Transportation and the City and County of Honolulu are urging commuters to consider alternative modes of transportation to help "beat the school jam." The biggest hit will be on Aug. 20, when more than 40,000 University of Hawaii at Manoa students return to class.Officials are urging commuters to consider taking the bus, joining carpools, riding a bike, walking or adjusting their work schedules to help minimize the amount of cars on the roadways.
"Certainly, it's a time to consider what each and every one of us can do to help mitigate the traffic situation that is upon us," said Barry Fukunaga, director of the state Department of Transportation, at a news conference today.
Radio advertisements are set to begin airing next week to remind drivers about the approaching back-to-school rush, he said.
"Make sure your vehicles are properly maintained and serviced. What we find that for every minute a vehicle is delayed on our roadway, it has a 10-minute impact on those behind the vehicle," Fukunaga said.
He also urged commuters to consider creating carpools with co-workers or using carpooling services, such at Vanpool Hawaii (www.vanpoolhawaii.com).
The back-to-school rush will begin when more than 40,000 University of Hawai'i students from six campuses, including the university's flagship Manoa campus, return to school on Aug. 20. The number of students returning to class will rise to nearly 60,000 when private schools and other colleges go into session during the two weeks to follow.
University and college students are eligible for a special bus pass, called the U-PASS, said Roger Morton, general manager of O'ahu Transportation Services. The pass costs $100 a semester, which is a significant savings compared to the regular $40 monthly fee for a general pass, he said. The U-Pass is available on college campuses.
