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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Tuesday, February 27, 2007

Letters to the Editor

TRANSIT

OTHER CITIES MUST BE LAUGHING AT HONOLULU

Its inability to decide on the route or the mode for mass transit indicates that the City Council is either incompetent, afraid to offend interest groups or is playing off against big money. Perhaps all three.

Apparently, prospective passenger load is secondary to getting a transit system.

Instead, maybe a neutral route should be picked, such as the Windward side. It would be cheaper to build there since most land is government-owned, and when built, it would operate more efficiently as it could coast down the mountain. Windward commuters would use it, and the tourists would love the Ko'olau and ocean views, and probably would pay dearly.

The politicos could say they have a transit system, just not a "mass" one. Kidding aside, you can bet other cities around the country are laughing when they read about how ours is governed.

Paul Miller
Kane'ohe

OBVIOUS ADVANTAGES FOR AIRPORT RAIL STOP

I was greatly dismayed to learn that the City Council would even consider building the elevated transit system without the stop at the airport. It's the only stop I would find useful, since it has already eliminated the University of Hawai'i-Manoa stop.

It would be the same terrible mistake Miami made when it failed to connect its elevated rail system to the Miami International Airport. The northern leg of the Miami system has never had sufficient paying ridership to fund itself or the proposed Miami beach extension. Does this sound familiar?

The advantage of an airport stop is obvious to travelers who live in East Honolulu.

It would be much simpler to get on the train at the Ala Moana station and get off at the airport rather than fight traffic to get there. It would save time and gas, and would reduce the number of cars on the H-1 Freeway.

A stop at the airport also could ease traffic congestion and parking problems at the airport.

It also would allow arriving passengers to leave the airport on the train and get to other stations where they could easily be picked up.

Reinstate the airport stop!

John Griffis
Honolulu

WHAT KIND OF NOISE WILL RAIL SYSTEM CAUSE?

The City Council amended Mayor Mufi Hannemann's proposal, which had routed the first leg of the mass transit system from Kapolei to Ala Moana via Pearl Harbor and the airport. The council decided to nix Pearl Harbor and the airport, and instead take the fixed guideway through Salt Lake

This is good news, because I live in Foster Village, off Salt Lake Boulevard, and this area is densely populated.

What concerns me right now is the technology. Whether it's rail or bus, will there be a lot of noise for residences along the fixed guideway?

The subways in New York City are extremely noisy because the trains run on tracks. Will there be noise and vibrations from a monorail in Honolulu?

Glenda Chung Hinchey
Honolulu

NOTE TO OFFICIALS: RIDE ONLY BUSES FOR A WEEK

So, city officials are going to distant cities to experience public transportation that might work in Honolulu. Good for them.

When was the last time any one of them set foot on the transit system already in place right here in their own community?

Before making any more decisions on public transportation for island residents, I challenge these decisionmakers — especially our mayor — to take a week riding TheBus as if they had no private vehicles.

Take TheBus to everything: work, school, meetings, grocery shopping, medical appointments, the mall, family and other social gatherings — everything.

And don't just take it in the city, take a ride out to the country, too, where buses are fewer and farther between, and most stops are ill-kept, poorly lit, and have no shelter or benches for the many schoolchildren, elderly and disabled who make up a good percentage of riders.

Only then will they be able to truly experience public transportation on this island and be able to make proper decisions that work for those residents and taxpayers who actually do depend on TheBus for transportation 24/7. Any takers?

Shana Logan
Ka'a'awa

CITY COUNCIL RIGHT TO CHOOSE SALT LAKE ROUTE

All the complaints about the transit route through Salt Lake are hogwash. The City Council chose the right route.

Just because many people work in Pearl Harbor, Hickam and the airport does not translate into ridership. These people already have free or low-cost parking, and will not use the transit system. The only people likely to use the transit system are the enlisted personnel and people without a car.

I have traveled to New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Las Vegas, and never once even considered using any other transportation besides a taxi or a large-capacity limousine from the airport.

I am a retired person on fixed income and live in the Salt Lake area.

James Takeuchi
Salt Lake

SALT LAKE RAIL ROUTE WILL EASE RUSH HOURS

I commend the City Council for doing the right thing in selecting Salt Lake over the airport.

Please don't forget how the rail came about in the first place. The everyday congestion is primarily during the get-the-kids-to-and-from-school and people-to-and-from-work periods of time.

The congestion is primarily in the arteries serving the "Second City" and Central O'ahu areas. Wasn't the staggered start-of-school-year system rammed down parents' throats in the hope that this would help the traffic system?

Tourists have many taxis to pick them up and drop them and their luggage off at their hotels or the airport.

An airport rail route will not alleviate the mess in the morning or after work.

Though I don't live in the Leeward or Central O'ahu areas, I've supported the rail because I feel for the people suffering through years of freeway gridlock.

As a Realtor, I've had to practically double the amount of time allotted for the showings on Fort Weaver Road. That's another story.

Sylvia Thompson
Honolulu

SALT LAKE ALIGNMENT IS FAR SUPERIOR TO AIRPORT ROUTE

There were three proposals for the minimum operable segment at the last City Council meeting:

1. UH-West O'ahu to Ala Moana via the airport.

2. Fort Weaver Road to UH via the airport (version A)

3. UH-West O'ahu to UH via Salt Lake Boulevard (version B)

All three were rejected, leading to a version C, with an MOS from UH-West O'ahu to Ala Moana via Salt Lake Boulevard.

Why Salt Lake Boulevard?

  • High ridership —approximately 70,000 residents live along a four-mile stretch of Salt Lake Boulevard.

  • The airport alignment could be built later — I'm not against the airport alignment, but it makes no sense without a Waikiki spur. A delay would mean more time to build the system closer to passenger terminals, while the Waikiki spur is built.

  • Higher farebox revenues — higher farebox revenues mean less operation and maintenance cost subsidies, estimated at 70 percent annually.

  • Cost effectiveness index — Salt Lake Boulevard (even with two stations and a 22.92 cost effectiveness index) and the airport (with four stations and 22.56 cost effectiveness index) are both Federal Transit Administration-qualified.

  • Residents first — Residents pay the lion's share of the GET increase.

  • Transit-oriented development — Salt Lake Boulevard has development opportunities that are on par, if not better, than the airport alignment.

    It'll be impossible for the council to reach a decision that satisfies everyone. I've based my decision not only for my constituents but because I believe the Salt Lake Boulevard alignment is superior to the airport and the right choice.

    Romy M. Cachola
    Councilmember, District 7

    KAI'OLU STREET

    SEWER WORK BRINGING NOISE AND POLLUTION

    The sewer reconstruction has been going on for nearly a year, and Kai'olu Street remains a horrible place for the thousands of residents who live on this street.

    Noise is constant, pollution is everywhere, parking is nonexistent. The city has turned a deaf ear to our concerns. We have not had one reply to the multiple calls and letters we have sent to the mayor's office.

    Further, the city has offered misinformation, lies and inconsiderate policies throughout the project. The site and call center maintain that the crews work only during daylight hours, but here it is 11 p.m., and the crew says it will be working all night. Again. With no end in sight.

    If this had happened on the mayor's street, the information would be accurate, the inconveniences minimized and the project completed on time.

    No such luck for us expendable taxpayers. Is it too much to ask the mayor and the city to at least pretend to care about our concerns?

    Neil Gowensmith
    Honolulu

    VACATION RENTALS

    WRONG TO USE TAX INFO TO CATCH VIOLATIONS

    I think SB 750 is the wrong road to follow. While I agree with the intent of the bill in the sense that everyone who is engaged in any business of any kind should be paying appropriate taxes, the city and counties are perfectly capable of enforcing their own zoning regulations pertaining to transient vacation units.

    Granting the counties extra power and giving them access to state tax information to catch city zoning violators is wrong, and once the door opens to making government bigger, it is nearly impossible to close. The enforcement of zoning laws should remain with the counties without them being able to access confidential taxpayer information.

    If the city can't enforce its own zoning regulations, then a change in either the means of enforcement or a change in the regulation itself is needed on the city and county level.

    Josh Rubino
    Kailua

    TRAFFIC SAFETY

    PEDESTRIANS SHOULD BE ABLE TO FILE COMPLAINTS

    Amid discussion concerning strategies for improving pedestrian safety, there is one I have not heard: allowing citizens to file complaints against drivers who violate pedestrian right-of-way laws.

    In other states, a pedestrian can take down a vehicle's license number and call it into the police department with the violation's time, location and circumstances.

    In Hawai'i, a police officer must observe the violation to cite a driver and, as we all know, insufficient numbers of police officers are detailed to this task.

    You can bet the problem would be considerably diminished if drivers knew pedestrians had the power to file citizen complaints against them.

    Richard Sullivan
    St. Louis Heights