Q. Where did those green signs come from in the downtown area labeled Hawai'i Capital District? Some of them are right next to older signs with similar information. Why was this done?

A. We started asking about those signs several months ago when they began popping up and recently found out more about the state project. Some of the signs point to state government buildings, including the Capitol, the Hawai'i State Library, 'Iolani Palace and the Queen Lili'uokalani Building (where the state Board of Education meets).

Other signs indicate parking structures and access for the disabled. State Comptroller Russ Saito said the project was completed in the past year — under his watch — but started in 2002.

He said he understands that the idea was to find a fitting and consistent design for signs in the high-visibility area. Saito said the concern was to find practical and attractive signs "architecturally designed to match the historic look of the district."

Initially, the project was scheduled to cost $312,000 five years ago. But Saito said the project was modified and in the end it actually ended up costing less. He said the final cost was $217,000 for 77 signs. Some of the savings came by using existing posts for the new signs.

Asked why some of the signs repeat information in older signs at the same location, he said crews will evaluate the existing signs to see if those that are redundant can be removed. But he explained that he doesn't have control over signs posted by other agencies, such as the warrior signs put up statewide by the Hawai'i Visitors and Convention Bureau.

Why did the project take so long? Saito said crews had to dig a footing for some and while working in the historic district, a monitor had to be present to ensure that they did not disturb remains or other significant findings.

Saito said his office has heard from people who like the new signs and say they're useful for locating downtown buildings and parking.

Q. When it was so windy, my gray city rubbish bin kept blowing over, even though it was full. We put it back up three times and then left for work. We saw at least a dozen bins had blown over on our street alone and many people had left for the day and couldn't pick them up themselves. What does the city do on days like that with such unusually strong winds?

A. City Environmental Services spokesman Ken Kawahara replied: "We try to stand up carts that have been blown over during windy conditions so that they may be emptied by our truck. However, we may not have been able to stand up all carts."

Kawahara said anyone who needs their bins picked up because "we could not collect their refuse or green waste during the wind storm should call the appropriate district refuse collection office or call the city at 692-5410." Or, find the collection phone numbers online at http://envhonolulu.org/solid_waste/contact/contact_us.html.

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