State comparison does not help anyone
Recent discussions in this forum appear to have lost direction with an endless comparison between the quality of living in Hawaii or California. As a resident of the mainland state with a nearly two decade interest in Kauai as a property owner and frequent guest, the benefits and challenges of both locals are well known from personal experience.
The problems of each jurisdiction are similar in many cases, but the root causes for the problems are different. Comparisons between the states do not advance discussions that will fix the challenges on this island. We need to look to similar situations for guidance as to what will work, and what will not improve on island life.
Twenty years ago the slogan which attracted our family to this special place was, ‘Don’t let Kauai become another Maui.’ This would appear to be a good place to start a close examination of Kauai today.
Before solutions are discussed, the first goal should be to identify and prioritize those problems which we all face. As important must be a commitment to actually implement changes and not simply a slap band aid on a serious problem, or do nothing.
We must also accept the philosophy that spending money is not the answer to every problem. In many instances there is only a need to redirect, or allocate funds we are already spending, in new and different directions.
For example environmental, traffic and employment problems may all be improved by a single policy change. Housing and the schools may share a common cure and the size and direction of expanding tourism must be discussed.
Ed Cullen, Princeville
State has plans to improve highways
We are writing in response to Ruta Jordan’s letter to the editor on Jan. 8 requesting that the County Council widen Kuhio Highway from three to four lanes from Hanamaulu to Wailua. We would like to clarify that Kuhio Highway is a state highway. Increasing the highway to four lanes, as Ruta Jordan suggests, is included in the Department of Transportation’s Kapaa Transportation Solutions study: the DOT has identified this project as a priority, but there are projects that have prioritized ahead of this one.
In addition to widening Kuhio Highway, other highway improvements include adding a southbound lane on Kuhio Highway from the Wailua Bridge to the beginning of the Kapaa Bypass Road fronting Coco Palms (this project is funded and will being later this year), adding a roundabout at Mailihuna Road and Kuhio Highway (this project is funded and will being early this year), and adding a southbound lane from Kuhio Highway to the Olohena Road roundabout (this project is not currently funded but is programmed for future funding).
Our role as legislators is to seek state funds for these critical highway improvements. To this end, we supported a tax on rental cars to fund highway capacity projects in the county where the tax is collect. This bill passed last year and will help toward addressing our needs on Kauai. More must be done and we will continue to work with the state Department of Transportation so that all projects are completed in a timely manner.
Rep. Nadine Nakamura, District 14
Rep. Dee Morikawa, District 16
Gosh Ed, I wish we had more people like you to guide us through the tough times. Tourists just visit and spend money – theres nothing wrong with that
Aloha Nadine and Dee, mahalo for your state efforts and having to sacrifice by living on Oahu.
Roundabouts can be set up overnight by merely putting in those plastic white sticks glued to the road and loaded with reflectors and sparkle type reflectors and a few signs saying some such…yield to one car to the right of you at the incoming lanes.
8pm no circle, next morning at 6am we have another circle, we no need raised concrete, etc., just the circle of reflector sticks glued down to the roadway. This way they could be added all over at congested intersections.
Main thing is that the signs tell people to “yield to one car to the right entering the circle” instead of yield to 30 “cheater” cars.
And while you are at it how about 100 vehicle “CAR TRAINS” from ABC Kapaa to at least across the Wailua River if not all the way to Rice St. Intersection “T”…at appropriate hours…today was locked from at least late morning.
Detail functional description of 100 vehicle “Car Trians” has been spelled out several times in Comments in the Garden Island news.
All it takes is Trafic Officers and / or traffic signals set for certain length of time so 100 cars flow non stop from ABC to over the River To LIHUE.
100 cars = stalled traffic from Coco Palms to Safeway light.
Try it on paper…see it works…if you use the right paper…
Mahalo
Charles
signals are a big part of our traffic congestion. to do what you perceive will work would cost more than we waste on contra-flow every year. do you see how people drive when they come to a round a bout? it’s the mentality of what happens when you are driving all your life with signals to control your actions. when they see that YIELD sign at the round a bout that means stay on the bumper of the car in front of you if you want to get through it and not have to wait and be respectful and want the round a bout if used properly to work for the betterment of all of us.