SPEAKOUT!
Readers Offer Routes To Get Out of Our Jams
The Maui News' weeklong series about traffic problems on Maui concludes today, and what better way to wrap things up than to let readers have the last word.
As part of the series, our Speakout question was: "What do you see as the best solutions to Maui's traffic problems?" Readers were invited to respond by telephone, e-mail or fax. And respond you did.
About 115 calls, faxes and e-mails poured into the newsroom, one of the largest responses the newspaper has had to any Speakout topic.
Most of the responses are published here in edited form. Not all could be included for various reasons — many were far too long, running two and three pages; some did not include a name; still others included no town of residence or phone number, or we were unable to get a response when we called the number.
But by and large, most of those who responded are represented here, although space limitations forced us to exclude more than we would have liked. To those folks, we apologize.
As a point of interest, most of the responses came from South Maui (30 percent) and West Maui (27 percent), hardly a surprise as it is those areas most readily identified as having the worst traffic congestion.
Thanks to all of you who participated in the traffic series by responding to the Speakout question.
Have certain license plates be able to travel on certain days. I've traveled around the world and I've noticed that certain countries do this to cut down on traffic congestion. For example, a person with a license plate that has a 5 at the end can only travel on Tuesdays and Thursdays, and a person with license plate beginning with 2 or ending with 2 can travel maybe on Wednesdays and Sundays. What happened to the bypass? They should get to work on it as soon as possible for improving the highways around the Lahaina area as well as the Kihei area.
Louise Jones,
Kaanapali Beach Hotel
The problem with the traffic here on Maui can be solved with having a major bus system that can take the tourists to and from wherever they need to go, as well as the residents on Maui. The state spends all this money building roads and everything else, but we need to have a bus system — a major major bus system.
Randall Mitsumura,
Kihei
Implement a mass transit system. If it needs to be funded by the county so that we have fewer cars on the road and more efficient flow, then it would much make much more sense than continuing to widen the roads and have destruction of commerce and flaring of tempers because of the waiting and waiting and waiting if there was construction.
P. Denise La Costa,
Kaanapali
The road going to Upcountry is the most important thing for us, starting from Lipoa Center, not further down, as the road gets too congested. Also, the Puunene road needs to be widened into to a proper bypass so people can avoid town, and also going through Paia we need something bypassing there.
Ross and Janine Arlidge,
Kihei
I think the solutions are many, such as changing the times people get off work so it's not all at the same time like 7 to 3:30, 3 to 11, 11 to 7 shifts. They should have different shifts for people, like 8 to 4, 9 to 5, 6 to 2. I think everyone at the hotels have the same shifts. Also, a bus system, building moratorium, less rental cars, more buses — don't build more roads.
Jennifer VanLaanen,
Haiku
We need major highway improvements. The question is funding, and I think we should have toll roads. I have been traveling all over the world and on the Mainland as well quite a bit. There are many, many toll highways and bridges. So if we need 'em, we got to pay for it. I think that's the solution.
Robert Sakado,
Pukalani
The residents have made it very clear that what needs to happen is to stop building, stop letting more cars on the island. Limiting the amount of buildings, limiting the amount of cars is a very easy, quick solution.
Debby Wyly,
Lahaina
Opening too many roads on Maui is a hazard. Building up places for people to live and to drive to is a hazard. I grew up here on Maui since I was 5 years old and seen a lot of changes. I do not pass people on the road and I don't think there is any need for people to be passing because that's what causes accidents. I commute to Wailea, Kapalua, Kaanapali in my work. I drive the speed limit, and I've seen so much in these roads that I don't think it's a good idea to put up more roads as well as more homes to have people live here. I think it's overrated with The Maui News having to make a whole series on it.
Jamie Samuelu,
Haiku
With the traffic on Lahainaluna, it would be good to see a little more carpooling happening regarding students, and it would be great to maybe start earlier, like 15 minutes, the school drop-off times.
Bill and Kim Forsyth,
Kahana
Why can you not widen the Kahakuloa road, because it seems whenever you folks do put in a roadway all you do is condemn the land. For instance, Ikena (Avenue) — you condemned those homes and the land is waiting to be put into a roadway, nothing's done yet. And I'm sure that Kihei had problems too. Their properties were condemned to widen the highway so everybody could use it. But Kahakuloa, seems, you know, like a sacred place. Something's wrong. I think it's pretty selfish that they don't try to help to solve the problem. If you need to put in another puka in the pali that's fine with me, or use the Olowalu mountains. They made one over on Oahu. We have so much planning, and before you know it we have another mayor and we go back to the planning again. We have enough boulders in the fields to make cinders forever; put that down with tar and eventually your road will be made. Or, recycle bottles and use that to put down on the roadway.
Catherine Asami,
Lahaina
We need to have mass transportation, either by municipal bus system or fixed rail system. It's obvious that going to West Maui you can't do anything with the pali, and I see a rail system would be ideal for that solution. As far as Kihei is concerned, fooling around with Piilani Highway is not going to solve the problem. That highway should be left alone. You have to fix the main thoroughfare, Mokulele Highway. If that becomes a four-lane highway, I think you have half the problem solved. I'd hate to see anybody touch Piilani Highway. It's a great highway, perfect for this area. Please give a hard look at mass transportation. We need to have this.
George Tsukazaki,
Kihei
What I see as the problem basically is the single-person drivers. I ride a bicycle, and as I'm going down the traffic there's just one person per car and it takes up a lot of the road. If we had some sort of busing solution, I think that might help.
Robert Uher,
Kihei
I say raise the sales tax from 4.167 percent to at least 6 percent. That way no one really feels it too much, we'll still be one of the lowest in the nation. Use the extra money to buy the cane roads, and use the existing roads that we have going one way, pave the already existing cane roads going the other direction so we have two roads instead of one road. That would work wonders here for West Maui, and certainly on other parts of the island as well. They've been talking for years about a Lahaina bypass, and they're always talking about how they got no money; well, the money comes from sales tax. If you would raise the sales tax, maybe they would have enough to pay the teachers as well as build us some decent roads.
Dave McCarthy,
Lahaina
Ease the traffic on Lahainaluna Road and Honopiilani Highway. Go up by Safeway, south side of traffic light, cross over to new industrial park, go mauka till you hit proposed Lahaina bypass road into Ikena road and to Lahainaluna.
Hans Michel,
Lahaina
Take Mokulele Highway and feed it into South Kihei Road. Make South Kihei Road one way all the way down to Wailea Ike Drive, and where it comes back up, make Piilani Highway one way going right back out again. All the streets would be the same, you could still get to everything, and I believe that might relieve the congestion. All you basically have to do is repaint the roads.
Joseph Curl,
Wailuku
Every reasonable person, family, business and corporation at certain times take inventory of where they are, and when they're doing that, they put everything else on hold until they are certain of where they are. An inventory is a look, a slow look, at where we are today, and it takes time. The way to do that is to create a moratorium on building so that we know where we are over a period of time. Then the other things that would help traffic could begin to be implemented in anticipation of when the moratorium is lifted, so that when building resumes and the population begins to grow# again, the infrastructure is in place and ready to accept that. This is the only reasonable approach. You can't take inventory while you're on the move.
Jim Hylkema,
Kihei
Bearing in mind that we live on an island with limited space and resources, I agree wholeheartedly with (Council Member) Jo Anne Johnson's proposal to impose a building moratorium until our infrastructure can catch up with the unbridled development that has already occurred. In the meantime, long-term plans must be made by combining each community association's plan around the island into a cohesive master plan that can address our growing concerns about becoming another Honolulu. More highways without development restraints will only lead to the new highways being obsolete by the time they are constructed.
Stu Nicholls,
Kula
Traffic officers were provided at each school while striking, why not have officers replace traffic lights for one hour or more each morning and afternoon, to be sophisticated traffic signalmen and not just flagmen.
Bob Johnson,
Pukalani
During rush-hour traffic on Piilani Highway, between 2:30 and 6 o'clock, I suggest you make the lights synchronized to stay green twice as long as they are; put Piikea, Lipoa on the same timer to turn red at the same time, green at the same time. That way traffic will be flowing faster and will be moving the cars through Kihei to get them out: the hotel workers, the school kids, the parents picking up their kids. And if you're taking a right or left turn on Piilani Highway, yes, you are going to have to wait twice as long. I'm willing to take that chance just to herd them out out of Kihei. We need to learn how to herd them in and herd them out. During the middle of the day, synchronize them back to a normal basis, so that way a guy making a left turn can trigger the light and make his left turn.
My other opinion is make the the Upcountry-Kihei road down as far south as you can because a lot of the hotel works will be able to get down into Wailea quicker and they won't have to deal with as much Kihei traffic.
John Bryant,
Kihei
My answer for Maui's traffic problems would be mass transportation. Instead of paving over paradise even more extensively, a people-mover kind of bus system like Honolulu has would be one of the best options. We all don't want to lose more of the island space to more roads. I think the people that are willing to ride the bus or ride mass transportation would take a lot of cars off the road because they would be people that would travel to and from work if the transportation was reliable.
Sophie Mataafa,
Lahaina
There needs to be a moratorium in Kihei on building; there are too many homes being built and there is not enough space for the people. If you put in new roads, you're going to see wall-to-wall houses as soon as that cane pulls out and you're going to see mass traffic jams and mass overpopulation that does not sustain an economy or a lifestyle that is even workable. All you got to do is go to Oahu for a weekend and see what's going on. I think there needs to be closer watch on vehicles so that the vehicles that aren't road-worthy are kept off the road. I think there needs to be a general plan seeing what is the total capacity of Maui County.
Dot Buck,
Kahului
Regarding West Maui, we can save hundreds of millions of dollars and protect our environment by combining the West Maui bypass alternate route and storm-wave adjustment needs into one two-lane roadway project from Honokowai through Ukumehame, generally along the old lower cane road alignment. Further land use entitlements should be restrained until this Lahainaluna relief and the pali additions are complete.
Dave Chenoweth,
Lahaina
One of the issues for South Maui that I have not seen appear for possible consideration is the use of overpasses, especially on Piilani Highway near the new Safeway center to the road that goes down to Longs. That would keep the flow of traffic continuous and eliminate the lights. Just use some grass seed and some palms trees to spice up the area and there'd be no more need for stoplights. You also could keep that road to two lanes and maintain the bike lanes.
Richard Ringer,
Kihei
Everyone is focused on the roads as the solution to Maui's traffic problems. It's the obvious — but wrong — solution. Ask an alcoholic how to stop their craving for a drink, and they'll tell you — another drink. Clearly, road expansion is needed to solve the current traffic crisis on Maui. But more roads merely pave the way to the next wave of development, and the next traffic crisis.
There is only one solution that anyone has found: Throw out the last 50 years of zoning laws and make it possible — or required — to build real towns again. A well designed town has a network of streets instead of cul-de-sacs and collector roads. Offices are above shops on the local main street, and homes are within a few blocks of this main street. Kids walk to school. Libraries are not vandalized because they are on the public square where people can keep an eye on them. Parking lots are set back, out of the way of the walkable streets, instead of being the dominant feature of every storefront. Public transit works because when you step off the bus or tram, you don't find yourself stuck in a lava flow of asphalt, you are in a walkable town where most everything you need for the day is right there.
Lee Altenberg,
Kihei
I see a building moratorium as a major solution. We are building so many projects without regard to the impact and strain they will put on the already overburdened roads. I realize growth is inevitable, but the feeling is "put 'um up now and let the future generations deal with the problems we've created." We are now faced with this scenario generated in the past. The plantation industry came, had their good times and went. The building industry must face the inevitable. We live on an island and the onward progress of hotel construction must stop.The contractors and labor unions exert a lot of influence in the state and county and it took a lot of
courage to propose such a bill. Please hold the politicians accountable. No political spin, just the "yes" or "no" vote.
Pia Aluli,
Lahaina
I believe the solution to the problem Upcountry is cross-road from Pukalani to Kihei, and from Kula to around Suda Store in Kihei. A cross-road, and the crossing would be about halfway between Kula and Kihei, so the people
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coming from Kula can go to Lahaina or Wailea. The ones from Pukalani can do the same when they get halfway down the hill.
Jason Ambrose,
Pukalani
The Lahaina bypass must become a reality as soon as possible, with no additional entrances and exits. It must begin well before Launiupoko and end in Napili. We need the highway from Honokowai to Kapalua expanded to four lanes as soon as possible. We are already bumper-to-bumper from Kapalua to Honokowai during peak hours and peak tourist season..
Honoapiilani Highway from Lahaina to the pali should be moved inland and expanded to four lanes. The old highway should become permanent park land, with access roads provided at frequent intervals. The highway over the pali should be expanded to four lanes by adding two lanes above or below the current highway. When an accident occurs on the two lanes going one direction, traffic can be routed temporarily to two-way traffic on the other two lanes. .
The road through Kahakuloa needs to be left basically as it is, but the one-lane stretches need to be widened to two lanes for emergency traffic.
We need a bus system and once a bus sytem is in place, we have to limit the number of rental cars.
Mary Lynne Boland,
Kahana
It's about the coning. The State of Hawaii has been coning Haleakala Highway for so many years. They could have made it four lanes, two going up and two coming down, years ago and saved a lot of money for the taxpayers. And also, they should try going down in the evening, when they're coning just a little part of Haleakala Highway by the stoplight, when they're coning right there, and see the traffic going downhill — how bad it is.
Margaret Corniel,
Makawao
Nobody ever mentions that driving less would do it quite well. There seems to be overdependency on automobile transportation on the island. Just driving less would solve a lot of problems, and sharing. People are driving by themselves from one side of the island and back to the other side — actually from Kihei to Paia, is what it seems like.
David Crocker,
Paia
I would support the mini-bypass solution being discussed as a first step in resolving the West Maui traffic problem without sacrificing the center of Lahaina to a freeway. I also support the move to relocate and widen the highway mauka of the current road from Lahaina to Maalaea. As an immediate step to improve the safety of the highway, I would encourage the use of cameras strategically located to catch and fine the drivers that are speeding and passing in illegal or unsafe conditions. The cameras would only catch those who are breaking the law and potentially hurting themselves or others and protecting those who are driving within the law. Cameras have been used in other parts of the world with significant reductions in accidents and fatalities.
Karl Drexhage,
Lahaina
There is a cane-haul road that runs from about Ukumehame Beach Park to Kahekili Park. Now that the Pioneer Mill Co. is no longer hauling sugar cane on this road, it is safe for the general public. In its present condition the road surface would take its toll on vehicles; however with a lot less expense than building an entirely new road, the State of Hawaii could resurface this old cane-haul road and install proper signage. With minimum cost, a two-lane road would be available for West Maui travel; two lanes towards Lahaina and two lanes towards Kahului. Having four lanes would loosen up the traffic flow and our visitors could enjoy the drive without getting in the Maui business community's way.
John FitzGerald,
Haiku
There should be a temporary building moratorium with a suspension of large projects that haven't been started. I believe only individual lots within current community areas where homes already exist should be allowed in addition to the already mentioned restrictions in the proposal by Council Member Jo Anne Johnson (no relation).
It is very obvious with the current strike that the parents of children attending school greatly contribute to the traffic problem. Perhaps when children live within a comfortable walking distance, parents require their children to walk and get some exercise. Carpooling would also help.
The timing on the traffic signal at Alanui Ke Alii at Piilani Highway should be lengthened a half-hour before school starting time and a half-hour after students are released in the afternoon. On South Kihei Road at Lipoa, the left lane heading makai should be left turn only. The right lane should be straight ahead and right turn only. Right turns should only be allowed on a green light. Those on South Kihei Road heading north are held up from crossing the intersection on a green light by those on Lipoa turning right onto South Kihei Road.
Dolores Johnson,
Kihei
A public transportation system, similar to "TheBus" on Oahu. Maui has grown substantially in the last few years, which leads to more cars on the road. I live Upcountry and work in Kihei. I'd love to take a bus ride to and from work. Save gas and let someone else do the driving.
Christina M. Kailiponi,
Makawao
The hotels and the county together should figure out a way to develop a bus system so that the hotel workers have a way of traveling to their homes in Wailuku and Kahului, and I think the Upcountry-Kihei road should be sped up so there's some hope of seeing it constructed soon, and it should be moved down closer to Wailea so that those folks have a way of getting out of there quicker.
Nancy Kanady,
Kihei
Everyone is calling for a building moratorium. Right. Like that is going to solve anything. After all, we're here now, let's not allow anyone else to come here. If no one else moved here starting today, the problems are still there and the politicians are still making the same effort to solve the problem, which is no effort at all. Why not have a building moratorium? After all, the building industry on Maui only pumps twice the amount of tax revenue into the economy than retail sales. Now when we stop the building and lose two thirds of the tax base we'll have all kinds of money to do nothing, not to mention all the unemployed people who can stay off the roads.
In addition to a building moratorium, let's put a quota on the number of tourists allowed here at one time. The combination of these two things would greatly reduce the traffic. And, if we really wanted to reduce the traffic, we could shut down all the retail stores. Just think, no employees or customers on the roads. That would really help the traffic situation.
Let's add more lanes to the roads. That way instead of a five-mile-long traffic jam, it'll only be two and a half miles.
Ron Leinweber,
Kihei
Three ideas: Road to Lahaina, after the pali. A passing lane could be put in places such as Thousand Peaks, where there's an area to pave. There's other areas on turns where they might be able to use part of the cane area. They don't have to be on straightaways, they can be on curves, because there's no crossing of the double yellow line.
Second, we definitely need the Upcountry road, and it should not come into Kauonoulu. It should come into Kealiialanui, the new stoplight, at the south end of Maui. That would divert most of the Upcountry construction workers and hotel workers, directly to either Haliimaile or Kula, whatever route they take.
Third, widen Piilani Highway to try to get all the traffic we can on that road and keep it off the collector road and keep it off South Kihei Road.
Kirk Linstrum,
Kihei
I cannot leave my house in the afternoon. One day, I left Kihei at 4 o'clock for a 5:30 movie, and it was almost 5:30 when I was at the Safeway store, and got no further.
There should be a moratorium on all building in the South Maui area. The land cannot hold so many properties and there's no way to get out of here. If there were ever a fire or anything of that sort, we would all be trapped, except to go into the ocean. There's just no way out, and there's no room. A moratorium on all buildings for at least 10 years to let the roads catch up and the community catch up.
One of the major problems is the shortage of roads — that you cannot get from Kihei to Kula without going all the way to the other end of town. I believe a road should be built so that South Maui can get to Upcountry directly. And also a regulation of the school buses and hotel employees so everybody does not get on the road at the same time.
Yonah Marks,
Wailea
It would certainly help if roadwork on Kihei Road was coordinated. On two days in a row, work on a traffic light at Kalama Park and a water pipe next to Marcos created one-lane roads within a half-mile of each other. Surely, one project or the other could have been suspended for a few days. Is anyone in charge? Traffic north of Kulanihakoi is seldom backed up. This stretch to Mokulele is not in need of four lanes.
Jim Rea,
Kihei
Before we can change the roads, we should educate the drivers. Local people and tourist alike feed the fire of road rage. Common sense and awareness of surroundings is only used by 2 percent of the drivers of this island. We have tourists who are more concerned with cow watching than their fellow drivers. Locals think they solely rule the road, ignoring other drivers and pedestrians. How many times has someone pulled in front of you, while you have the right of way and the right to maintain your speed, only to slow down, causing you to drastically slow down or change lanes (if you have the choice). How many times have you seen people drive very slow while being in the "fast" lane.
All drivers should look over the driver's handbook and the police should be more concerned about unaware drivers than parking tickets and lack of insurance. I think that the car rental agencies should give tourist a list of rules (pull over if you want to go slow, etc.).
Frank W. Pulaski III,
Kula
One of the issues regarding road congestion is all the people who live Upcountry and in Central Maui who commute to work in South and West Maui. Any developer should be, as part of any new development, required to provide adequate low or reasonable cost housing/accommodation for all people who will be required to service that development. If we are dealing with people who have already done developments and wish to do more, they should be required to provide catch-up. These facilities should be built in the first phase of any development. This would relieve a tremendous amount of burden on employees and traffic from roads at peak hours.
For West Maui the only long-term solution is an H-3 (Oahu) type of limited access freeway running from somewhere around the Kapalua airport all the way to the intersection of highways above Maalaea. The only access should be from Kaanapali and from Lahaina (but not via Lahainaluna).
Allowing people to live where they work, and providing fast, open roadways to West Maui will certainly go a long way to solving a significant portion of what will be an ongoing problem.
Gordon Saunders,
Kaanapali
I am convinced by past inaction, as described by newspaper articles for the past year, that Maui District highway engineer Bob Siarot and Public Works Director David Goode must be promoted out of their respective departments if any meaningful changes are to be made in the traffic problems of Maui. How long did the public have to wait just to get them to readjust traffic lights? How long for cones? They have been unbending in their opposition to trying new ideas offered up by the people, real foot draggers. The administration let things get out of hand. The traffic crisis before us has been brought to their attention, and in the making, for several years.
Ben Skywalker,
Kihei
Can you imagine the traffic tie-ups if we try to add lanes to existing roads? It's been tried elsewhere and it does not ever work. Why not use a bolder approach. Step 1. Impose a building moratorium on all hotels and condos until step two is completed. Step 2. Build an elevated monorail system islandwide. No disruption of traffic or loss of precious land. Let's move ahead of the problem rather than futilely try to catch up to it.
Don "Swanie" Swanson,
Kihei
I propose a new divided freeway, mauka of Piilani Highway. Piilani now is a street rather than a highway. Any other changes would only be a band-aid solution to the problem.
With our population doubling in the past 20 years, and Kihei-Wailea being the fastest-growing community, there is no doubt that our highways are dated and no longer able to do the job. When our hotels and condos are at 100 percent occupancy, driving Piilani is a hell. And it's an embarrassment to Maui.
So I say fix it, build it now, and connect it to the Upcountry and Central Maui, have an expressway and freeways system connecting all three communities.
Conrad Ventura,
Kihei
Since the ILWU is opposed to staggering workers' shifts, how about a park and ride lot near Mokulele and Piilani with shuttle vans, provided jointly by the ILWU and the hotels?
Chuck Vogeler,
Wailea
First, so much of this problem has been placed on everything from overbuilding to overpopulation to poor planning by the state and county, and more.
One aspect that's never been addressed and is, perhaps, the root of the whole situation are drivers themselves. Most people simply do not know how to drive in traffic (or, worse yet, don't care how they drive).
If one was to observe the flow of traffic from a vantage point overlooking, say, Piilani Highway during the rush hours, one would immediately see some drivers allowing far too much space between their car, and the car they are following, while other drivers don't allow anywhere near enough space.
Motorists should be aware that in order for traffic to flow freely they must use skillful means, and be constantly aware of what they are doing, and how they are doing it. Each and every one of us must accept this responsibility, and practice it.
Of course, there's no way in hell that this will ever happen. Or will it?
Bruce Wheeler,
Waikapu
We need alternative transportation. A way to motivate people to drive less and carpool, vanpool, use public transportation, bicycles, walk, is to raise the gasoline tax. For residents, the state can offset the burden by lowering the income tax. It would also give opportunity to tourists to pay for some of the infrastructure we need to put in. And as a side benefit it would encourage people to use more energy-efficient vehicles which would help the energy crisis.
Regarding the bottleneck of Lahainaluna and Honoapiilani Highway, I think the mini-bypass would be a great solution. It would even be a solution if only the north end of the mini-bypass would be built. A road is going up from the Cannery center halfway up the hill, already going through the new industrial center. If it was extended and than a bridge over the stream connecting Ikena street, that would be an alternate route for any-day traffic or for recreation.
Willi Wolff,
Lahaina
I would not make a widening of the road along our curvy section of the beautiful island because that would destroy the beauty. However, the section between Napili and Lahaina should be widened to four lanes, and maybe even further, until Maalaea. Nothing else should be done. The beauty needs to be preserved most, and it should not become like Oahu. If it should come like that, then I could return to L.A. So please maintain the beauty of the island.
Georg Woodman,
Honokowai
Widen Piilani, and continue with the plans to make the Upcountry road, but make it more towards the Wailea side, because there's a bottleneck at Lipoa as well. The South Kihei Road traffic is going to continue to be the same unless we widen the Piilani highway.
Von Zambrano,
Paia
I think the solution to Maui's traffic problem — a major part of the solution — is to have mass transit, including Upcountry. This would take cars off the road and get people into good habits and have less accidents.
Rita Silva,
Olinda
For a solution to resolve our traffic problem, we need more of those bus transit systems like we have on Oahu. 'Cause of the cars congestion, we're unable to use those traffic like what we had before.
Leighton Takaki,
Kahului
One of the problems I've seen that could be addressed very quickly and very cheaply is people who drive on our two-lane roads far under the speed limit. Now I realize speeding has been a big problem, and it's something that many, many people have talked about. I'm not condoning speeding, but what I am talking about is drivers who hold up traffic behind them by driving far below the speed limit during good driving conditions, cause far more frustration in the people behind them, and are the cause of many overtaking accidents, where frustrated drivers will overtake on double yellow lines and blind corners, etc. If these drivers would instead be considerate of the people behind them and would allow traffic to go by, it would at least reduce frustration on the road by that little bit each day for each of those drivers who've been trapped behind the car that drives for miles and miles and miles at 15 or20 miles an hour below the speed limit. To get this to happen, the state and the county need to pave areas, short areas, that allow for cars to pull over safely and smoothly, and then put up signage directing cars to do that.
Dave Yofpe,
Haiku
My suggestion is provide parking at Maalaea and offer a shuttle bus system from there to the workplaces of employees on fixed schedules.
Ingrid Elsner,
Haiku
There should be a limit to the number of rented cars. In 1980 we had a limit of one for every three hotel rooms. This year it's averaging 1.4 per hotel room. We have 4,600 new hotel rooms.
Also, to help alleviate the West Maui traffic, we should take the cane road by the right of eminent domain — it's no longer being used. It's been packed down for years — it could be graded and paved very easily, and that would rectify at least from Ukumehame to Kapalua.
Thirdly, I drive professionally for a living. There should be no left turns
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heading northwards onto the beach from the highway. No surfers turning left — that blocks the traffic — no visitors should be able to make a left turn. That causes lots of little fender-benders. And no passing on Honoapiilani Highway, and no left turn from Maalaea to Lahaina.
David McMurray,
Lahaina
I would say raise the price of gas to $5 a gallon. Provide tax credits to people that work at home. Provide tax credits to people that homeschool their kids. Provide tax credits to families without cars. Initiate an electric bus system, possibly subsidized by county taxes on gasoline. Make hitchhiking more socially acceptable.
Andy Be,
Haiku
In all the discussion regarding West Maui traffic tie-up, it is puzzling that rarely is there a serious mention of use of the old cane-haul road as an alternative means of relieving traffic congestion. This road runs parallel to the current highway from near the pali to Napili. It could be pressed into service either all or in part at a comparatively low cost of grading and paving. I presume the road could be obtained by the state either through leasing or outright purchase.
Paul Joel Freeman,
Lahaina
I agree with the comments of Kenny Barr in your 4/9/01 article. The hotels have been in Wailea for 10 years, but the problems didn't get really bad until the traffic lights were added at Piikea. It's nearly impossible for a car traveling on Piilani Highway to go through both Piikea and Lipoa Road intersections on the same green light. Get rid of the sensors that trigger the side street access and shorten the side street intervals to the bare minimum.
Widening Mokulele will do nothing because the traffic runs just fine and at maximum speed until it gets to the light at Piilani Highway. That intersection would be very smooth if an overpass was added and the light was removed.
Dan Walsh,
Kihei
To address the issue of traffic without addressing the issue of building moratorium at the same time is madness. It is like a dog chasing its tail around in circles!
We all know that widening the existing highways will help. What has not been pushed is the idea of the bypass roads, i.e. Kihei to Wailea with no outlets and the Upcountry road completed in South Kihei to handle workers from hotels.
What good will all this do if the building is allowed to continue? A 2-year-old can answer that question. The developers will try to convince their workers that they will starve if a moratorium is put in (and give them time off work to go to meetings to testify on their behalf!). This is Gaviota! Wake up people and beware of what you hear and who you trust your family's life with. More building for the elite rich and hotels will not help ensure your continued employment. Check out how many people move here from the Mainland during each "phase" of heavy development.
The solutions in the works are good — they need to be implemented! And stop the growth while this is done.
Darlene Carter,
Kihei
It's hard to have any sympathy for the Kihei traffic problem. Having lived in Napili and Haliimaile at times of such issues, I can assure Kihei residents nothing will happen any time soon. Buy a bike.
Twenty years ago Kihei was desolate. Imagine 20 from now. In Italy, there is a moratorium on building. You can own acres of land and you can't do anything with it. The buildings are old but beautiful, inside and out. We have collectively made Maui the chaos it is.
Damon Valverde,
Lahaina
Regular and frequent travelers on Piilani and Mokulele know the bumper-to-bumper traffic in both lanes is the usual at most times of day. Since surcease from this problem is not reasonably likely from any governmental source, what can the private sector do? Many places in the world have turned to private toll roads. An enlightened county government could make this a reality quicker than any other approach. A toll road from near the airport to the termination of Piilani would have an off-ramp near Lipoa with the other south of Maui Meadows. A buck or two each way would probably be saved by stop-and-go gas use now.
Studies would need to be performed by qualified experts to determine the feasibility of this approach as well as its economics. We need to quit talking about it and start doing something.
Using the private sector, the county would not be out any money. The county could secure the right of way by "eminent domain," lease it to a private consortium, with reversion of the property after a reasonable return to the investors. This would be the best of both worlds. It would be the quickest, simplest, cheapest answer, and the users would pay the cost.
Thomas V. Reese Sr.,
Kihei
On days Monday to Friday, when school is in session, the traffic at the bottom of Haleakala Highway can be backed up, bumper to bumper for miles. It is very frustrating!
My solution would be to increase the time of the green light for those coming down the mountain, and decrease the green-light time for the other two directions between 7:30 and 8:15 a.m., Monday to Friday, when there is school.
Now, while we are backed up for blocks and miles, the Paia to Kahului lanes get completely through the light. Also, if you do this, you might also need to increase the time through the Hana and Dairy Road intersection towards Kahului because this will get backed up.
Laurie Loney,
Kula
Solutions to the problems are going to be complex, costly, and cause for unhappiness for some. Even if the construction industry doesn't like it, there is going to have to be a moratorium on building shopping centers, hotels and large subdivisions until this problem is solved. Growth without the infrastructure is what caused the gridlock to begin with. Another solution, in addition to the obvious one of building more highways, is to provide public transportation. I would love to ride a train from Haiku to Kahului every day. Even a bus would be fine. Public transportation would also help preserve our rural environment.
Aside from those two solutions, widen highways, and build bypasses where they are needed. Someone suggested the county should take over the highway projects. That is a great idea. We all know, as evidenced by the teachers and UH strike, that our present state government is not carrying out the will of the people
Susana Browne,
Haiku
Every time you put up a traffic signal, it stops traffic, even on three- or four-lane highways. To move traffic, the least amount of stops, the better it is. I have never heard the words overpass, underpass or cloverleaf mentioned in any solutions now proposed. I think prime locations for one of these type of applications would be: one, the intersection of highways 31 and 30 and 380; two, highways 31 and 350 and South Kihei Road; three, Highway 31 at Lipoa or at the new Safeway shopping center. These are probably very costly, but in the long run they would do a better job than some of the patchwork things that I have heard being mentioned.
Fred Rodat,
Kihei
First of all, I would recommend that nobody who arrives on the island as a tourist from longer flights receives a rental car after 6 p.m. That would, A. decrease the traffic, and B. also decrease the danger on Maui highways.
Second of all, there should be some public transportation; I think there should not be such a big problem to implement that. Maybe we could get a tax refund if we provide the state with the receipts of a monthly fare. Or with the registration of our car, some kind of refund.
Uli Martin,
Kahana
Maui has been my home; I was born on this island. It has gotten so congested it's no pleasure to drive on our roads. Our taxes will be needed to build highways, and wider roads do not make for the rural lifestyle that we're accustomed to. To me, all private and public school children should be given free bus transportation. Secondly, we should have public buses. And thirdly, all new cars should have a very high tax connected with their purchase. I think New Zealand does this. This way, we will cut down on the number of cars a family has. Right now, everyone has their own car, and we want to do our own thing and get there on our own time. But it just makes for more congestion, the need for bigger roads, and the loss of our rural lifestyle.
Ernest Rezents,
Makawao
I've been on the island for going on 16 years, and to me the roads have gotten jammed. I also manage two stores in Whalers Village, and I do hear from the comments of the tourists that come in here that they don't want to be stuck in another traffic jam. When we had the fire and the collisions, I had one customer that was stuck in all three, and they swore they will never come back to Maui. Now, we're going to lose our tourism which keeps our island going if we don't make our tourists a little more comfortable and happy. And we do want them to travel all over the island, not just stay where they're at because they're afraid to be on the road. My solution is let's stop building for a while — we've got way too much going on right now — and work on the roads. As far as the gentlemen that might be out of work building the homes, let's have them build the roads. That way the economy will still keep going because we'll still have our people that build homes still working.
Linda Andrus,
Napili
I think there should be a building moratorium put on until we solve the traffic problem, until we find a solution. Definitely a building moratorium.
Kathy Lindsey,
Haiku
My comments about what we can do to improve traffic are to plan responsibly, and this includes not approving developments when we know that they're going to impact existing traffic, with the hope that someday there might be more roads. This is not responsible planning. We need to look at what we have on the books for the immediate future, and decide if that's going to fit the road patterns we have. To simply think that building more and more roads as they have done in Los Angeles, Phoenix and even Honolulu leads to improvements in traffic is an extremely fallacious assumption. We also need to deal with the downhill bike situation Upcountry. I would support establishing a separate corridor through the cane lands that can connect back into Paia town so that the bicyclists can have both scenery and safety.
Lucienne DeNaie,
Huelo
I think a solution to Maui's traffic problem is a bypass of Paia. I've been waiting in line every afternoon for10 years, and it's very frustrating to be able to drive around Maui and then get to Paia and then stop, stop, stop and go. We need some kind of a bypass. Very, very frustrating to have to stop every night to come through there.
Ed Barton,
Haiku
About mass transit, it's been suggested time and time again. I believe the long-range answer is in a raised rail system.
With all the long lines and the way people are stacked up, I believe a temporary solution right now would be if Maui Pine, A&B sugar and some of the hotels would stagger their hours, in addition to the schools.
I notice most of the complaints in the paper all the time are about mothers trying to get their children safely back and forth to school. I believe school hours being staggered would be the answer, even if the students have to possibly not put in a full long day like they do now.
The squeaky wheel gets all the attention, for example, Kihei, Lahaina and now Paia area. Come on, Upcountry! Let's make some noise and get heard from now on. Let's get these things done. Now.
Kenn Hofman,
Pukalani
Isn't it ironic that at this time last year everyone's major traffic concern was speeding? More roads and wider roads is not the answer. No matter how many lanes we add they will eventually become full. The time has come for serious discussions on public transportation. A triangular rail system from Kaanapali to Kihei (or Makena) to Kahului Airport with bus or tram service from those areas should be our goal.
Our concept of the automobile equaling freedom is no longer 100 percent valid. How low will we allow that freedom factor to get before we are willing to accept public transport?
Sam Clark,
Haiku
The no band-aid approach. Develop a highway system that links all major parts of the island via the shortest route. On-ramps and raised clover-leafs at all exits. Nothing else will work.
Mike Kozec,
Makawao
The question is not whether we need two lanes or four lanes. The question is whether we want to allow these beautiful places on Maui to become urban and suburban centers. Or, do we want to retain some of the rural aspects that brought us here. Where are the parks, the greenways, the open spaces, the bikeways and pedestrian walkways — all the things that we will keep Maui a truly beautiful place in the future. Now that the realization of the build-out is here, let's take a year off and make sure that this is where we want our community to go. I support the building moratorium.
Gary Ahrnsbrak,
Kihei
Misplaced priority! Widening Kuihelani Highway to four lanes should not happen before Piilani Highway is widened to four lanes (soon, I hope!).
Marcia Raley,
Kihei
Why isn't there a "Maui Marketplace" type of shopping area on the west side? The only thing available there for household items are very pricey decorating stores, which most people can't afford!
There are no affordable stores to purchase bed sheets, towels, dishes, etc. unless they drive all the way to Kmart, Sears or Lowes. Think of how many cars would be eliminated off the road if these items were available on the west side and in Kihei.
Ardie Marie Cronkite,
Kihei
Let's learn from history! If more roads, wider roads and more parking spaces were the solutions, Los Angeles would already be paradise!
Bill Landry,
Kihei
The two deaths and multiple accidents in the 4700 to 4800 block of lower Honoapiilani Road speak loudly of the severe traffic problems for the West Maui community. The county has ignored the speeding problem and the safety and well-being of the families and their children when a solution is obvious — traffic signs. The lower road is zoned residential, requiring 25 mph speed limits. Yet there are few posted 25 mph signs and a lack of other traffic signs indicating curves, pedestrian crossings and school bus loading and unloading. There are no crosswalks, putting the children and elderly especially at risk.
Speeding motorists are not only endangering our families but are also destroying a way of life for the ohana community. The solution is traffic signs and they are required immediately.
Gaylene McCartney,
Kahana
The first item that is required is an immediate moratorium on new construction of resorts, hotels, condominiums and new housing developments. Demanding that the little or nonused cane roads be opened to the public should be initiated, along with the removal of all liability of the road owners. The old Makena-Ulupalakua road should be opened, improved where required, again with liability of the road owner removed. Shuttles need to be provided by large resorts for their workers. Shuttles need to be initiated in large commercial areas, such as Kihei, Kahului, Wailuku and Lahaina, plus along the Hana Highway from Haiku or Huelo to Hana and from Kula to the top of Haleakala. Parking areas and lots will need to be constructed in various locations. Along with this, the County Council, along with the mayor, needs to immediately move toward rezoning all "gentleman estate" and large home subdivisions, located on agriculturally zoned land, to urban and rural zoning designations. This would bring in thousands if not millions of dollars. These extra funds could be earmarked exclusively toward developing a comprehensive bus/shuttle and public transportation system.
Nikhilananda,
Huelo
Have the local businesses/hotels organize a bus system for their employees. They can hire a bus the size of a large Trans Hawaiian bus to pick up employees at certain check points on one side the island and drop them off at work (hotels, etc.) on the other side of the island. Then have them pick them back up and drop them off back home. If for any reason they miss the bus they can drive themselves to work if they have a car.
With the cars that are leftover, they can synchronize the traffic lights and have the lights green longer in lanes that are moving the most traffic.
Stop adding new traffic lights. This is what is stopping the traffic flow.
Stop building new subdivisions. After all Maui residents can't afford them anyway. If they keep on building, they will turn Maui into a retirement community.
The Rev. Francisco Gomes,
Kahului
The first thing to do is fire who is in charge of the highways on this island, and bring in someone from the Mainland or hire me. I've been involved in teaching high school driver ed, defensive driving. I've lived in Europe, I'm Canadian, lived in Canada the first 40 years of my life. And whoever's in charge here doesn't know what he's doing. It's a complete mess.
I remember 20 years ago on Kihei Road there was a line down the middle and you'd have parking on either side and two lanes of traffic flow. Now there's some sort of crazy configuration, parking on one side only, and some sort of no-man's-land in the middle. Complete insanity. We had fewer cars then and we had four lanes. Now we have more cars and we only have two lanes. So change Kihei Road.
Piilani Highway? I almost never see a bicycle, day or night, on that road. That extra lane is not required for bicycles, or for a shoulder to abandon cars. Take that solid white line on the right side, get a black can of paint, and put a dotted line down there and have a four-lane highway on Piilani Highway.
Richard Green,
Kihei
To solve the traffic problem on Lahainaluna street, what the state or county have to do is eliminate school students from bringing cars to school and catch the school bus system. And the state must change the regulation saying that if you live a mile or less you cannot catch the school bus. But change that where every school student can catch the school bus. That way there's no traffic in the morning and in the afternoon on Lahainaluna street. As far as parents complaining, they shouldn't, because better it's more guaranteed — they know that the child went school and cannot cut classes. And the parents would save money on the gas.
Richard Tamashiro,
Lahaina
I've noticed a huge difference in the way the traffic's moving since they changed the timing. A huge difference. Yesterday at 2 o'clock I got from Maui Meadows to the post office in 10 minutes. And before you changed the timing it would have taken triple that time. It has taken a half-hour to get from here to the post office. I think it made a huge difference, and kind of an easy solution. There was still tons of cars, but they were moving instead of staying still.
Judy Jarvie,
Kihei
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