• “The Future is Here!” • Bike path in Washington • Kamalani letter “The Future is Here!” I was more than impressed by the Spirit of Ontario which gave Kaua‘i people a glimpse of the ferry to come to the
• “The Future is Here!”
• Bike path in Washington
• Kamalani letter
“The Future is Here!”
I was more than impressed by the Spirit of Ontario which gave Kaua‘i people a glimpse of the ferry to come to the islands which will be part of the Hawai‘i highway system. It will finally make visiting your relatives on other islands a reality at a reasonable cost. It will make travel more fun and available for the local population that can’t afford to fly and see the other islands. I would have given them my Visa card if they would have taken advanced bookings. The economy of the island will be improved. It takes a half day to get to your destination to Honolulu waiting in line then in a cramped seat on a plane, etc. This ferry has great seats, lots of space and you can buy a car in Honolulu and bring it home, even service it if you own a Mercedes or something exotic. And you know it will be more than 50 lb. in weight.
All the people lined up were local with a few tourists so you can see the time is right. Interest was high and a lot of people were turned back. Maybe we all won’t feel like we are being held hostage by Aloha and Hawaiian Air anymore. Many kudos to Hawaiian super ferries. I hope they have more than one or two boats. We need one for each island for sure. These runs will be fully booked up each trip.
It was unfair of the state to not accommodate more time for viewing other than two hours. This was a bigger deal than you can believe and to turn all those people away was very unfair.
Hans Hellriegel
Wailua Homesteads
Bike path in Washington
At the close of the public meeting held Wednesday evening, March 10 regarding the proposed plans to construct a bike path from Lydgate Park to Kealia, JoAnn Yukimura mistakenly stated that property values along the Gilman Trail in Seattle, Washington had not been negatively affected financially because of the bike path. I did not have the opportunity to respond to her remarks at the time but since I live less than a quarter mile from this bike path and have intimate knowledge of the pros and cons of this facility, I feel responsible to correct some misconceptions.
The Gilman Trail is a multi-purpose trail built on a old railroad spur between Woodinville, Washington and the University of Washington property in Seattle. It runs for approximately 30-plus miles along the west side of Lake Washington. It is a tree lined trail which runs parallel to the lake, has numerous emergency access roads, and does not interfere with the view or privacy of the property owners. Because it is a old railroad spur it is located a considerable distance from any private property boundary and this trail is separated from homes by a access road in a number of areas. It has had little impact on property values, in the past, primarily because it does not run in front of any private property along the lake, however as security becomes an important issue in our present time the property along the trail has become less desirable. .
It is widely occupied by fast moving bicycle traffic and is considered unsafe by many walkers and joggers. There have been incidents of injuries as a result of collisions between pedestrians and bikers, so that many walkers are hesitant about walking on this trail, particularly from September to June when university students travel this route. There have been sexual attacks in the early morning and late evening, drug-related incidents, and numerous times when males have exposed themselves so that female walkers do not feel safe walking except in groups. As our world becomes more dangerous we do not have the same security that we once enjoyed and so much thought should be given to these issues that concern our health and safety.
Doris Ashe
Kamalani letter
In response to Gareth Souza’s letter in Friday March 12 Forum, I agree with his concern for the future of fisherman, surfers and beach goers who have been enjoying the freedoms of Kaua‘i’s ocean access all these years.
Kamalani Kai has been a senseless bridge all along. The location was of poor planning. We have seen pictures on the front page of The Garden Island newspaper with ocean waters covering the slide areas ending locations. How safe is that?
Heavy rains and high surf have plagued that exact area for years.
Now parents are leaving their children alone to play on this bridge that is so remote and out of the way from the rest of the park and expect the rest of the beach users to change our ways for their peace of mind ha? I just don’t get this way of thinking.
Areas that the locals have used for years are slowly being taken away with fancy picnic tables and concrete slabs in place of the shrubbery and native Hawaiian plants that used to dot the beach accesses.
I don’t like to see all the new ATV’s thrusting along destroying all the plant life along the rest of the coastline and the danger the 4 wheel drive trucks have on persons sunbathing or resting on the sand either so we definitely have a problem on both sides.
If the trucks and ATV drivers could slow down, be more courteous and cautious, and the parents supply a little more supervision around the bridge just a thought.
Cindy Hamamura
Kapa‘a
