Shuttle serving community well
The April 2018 historic rainfall and resulting flood on Kauai was devastating and caused months of economic and personal hardship for many families. Yet, it gave us an opportunity to mitigate some of the problems that were degrading our quality of life before the flood.
For years, many of us on the North Shore had voiced our alarm over the thousands of rental cars arriving at Ke’e Beach, their drivers illegally parking on both sides of the highway, impeding emergency service vehicles, and creating a public safety hazard.
Today, with the Haena State Park management plan finally in place, Ke’e is well maintained, uncrowded, and most importantly, safe. And the new 100 parking stall limit has not prevented visitors or residents from visiting Ke’e.
Thanks to the new North Shore Shuttle, visitors who are unable to purchase a Ke’e parking pass can now enjoy a scenic ride to and from Waipa to Ke’e. But the shuttle is not only for visitors. Several days ago, I had an unexpected opportunity to take the shuttle to Wainiha when my car broke down in Hanalei. I enjoyed the scenery, made a new friend, and arrived home with groceries intact.
I’d like to encourage all Kauai residents to take advantage of the North Shore Shuttle the next time you visit Hanalei. Even those of us who live in Wainiha or Haena can take the shuttle to Hanalei and not worry about finding parking. We can actually enjoy looking at the beaches and mountains along the way. The North Shore Shuttle is providing a well-deserved and long overdue service to our community.
I’d like to thank shuttle founder Joel Guy and all the others whose vision and commitment helped improve our quality of life after the flood.
Teresa Tico, Wainiha, Kauai
