Kalaheo residents brought videotapes and a petition signed by 200 neighbors to the Kaua`i County Council Wednesday, but they still didn’t get what they wanted. For the safety of their children, parents requested the entire length of Maka Road be
Kalaheo residents brought videotapes and a petition signed by 200 neighbors to
the Kaua`i County Council Wednesday, but they still didn’t get what they
wanted.
For the safety of their children, parents requested the entire
length of Maka Road be designated as one-way for traffic during school
hours.
Children from Kalaheo Elementary School walk along the mostly
sidewalkless road on their way to and from school.
The council’s Public
Works Committee discussed the matter with Wally Rezentes Sr., assistant to
Mayor Maryanne Kusaka, at a meeting Wednesday.
Rezentes said the
administration wants to solicit opinions from the entire neighborhood before
taking action.
Rezentes asked for a 30-day delay. A compromise was reached
and the matter was shelved until the Nov. 22 committee meeting, allowing the
administration to gather more information.
Before then, Kusaka and the
Department of Public Works officials plan to host a public meeting on the issue
at 6 p.m. next Monday at Kalaheo Neighborhood Center.
Councilman Jimmy
Tokioka mentioned problems some Maka Road residents would have getting to and
from their houses if the street is designated one-way.
But Councilman Ron
Kouchi, who admitted he had family with children who walk to school on the
allegedly dangerous road, sought quicker action.
“We’re talking about
inconvenience versus the safety of children,” Kouchi said.
Kouchi suggested
temporarily designating Maka Road one-way only during school hours to test its
effectiveness.
Staff writer Dennis Wilken can be reached at 245-3681
(ext. 252) and dwilken@pulitzer.net
