Here’s a question/observation by a reader who commutes to the UH Manoa Campus via Kaimuki and, more specifically, Waialae Avenue.
The roadwork hit the news last month when cars were bottoming out in a dip near 12th Avenue, where new asphalt was put down while the ground underneath was still too wet, causing the new pavement to buckle.
But this reader’s complaint goes further.
I have to commute to school every day via Waialae Avenue. As far as I can tell, it is one of the worst roads in the city. It has been under construction, by my count for 10 months, with little progress.
This street has become incredibly dangerous because of the lack of lane markers in some places and the numerous large potholes. It is even more dangerous for those of us, like me, that ride mopeds. Cars are constantly swerving to avoid obstacles and holes, and it is difficult to steer a moped on such rough roads.
In my opinion, it’s likely that someone will get into a fatal accident because of the slow pace of construction and irresponsible manner in which it is being conducted (e.g. leaving large holes in the street from night construction without marking them).
On the other hand, the street on which I live in Aina Haina was repaved last week. Nearly all the side streets in Aina Haina are being repaved, though they are not in a terrible state of disrepair, nor do they have high traffic volume. One might also wonder why Kalanianaole highway is not being repaved first.
I wonder how the road construction in the city is being planned; how are resources being allocated; and is this being done in the safest, most efficient matter? Obviously this is a matter that affects every resident’s convenience in their commutes. However, as I stated earlier, I think it can also relate to life-and-death safety matters. Any insight you could shed on this matter, either through your blog or personally, would be greatly appreciated.
Thoughts?
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This comment was emailed to me by a reader….
My opinion, the Mayor is doing the easy ones first to rack up the numbers. He can say at the end of the year, as he did last year, that he exceeded his objective of lane-miles paved and Oahu’s roads are getting better. The problem with that is that those side streets and neighborhood roads were generally not in bad shape to begin with. The major thoroughfares, like Kal highway and others are where people spend most of their time. These are in terrible shape and until they are finally done, the public perception will continue to be that Oahu’s roads are terrible.
C&C doing same stupid thing in Mililani, repaved little side streets that didn’t really need it and saving the worst most pot hole ridden main thorough fare Meheula Parkway for last. Used to be every election year our streets were repaved, but nothing in 2012… haven’t started our main street yet. I guess city needed to save money to pay for daRail.Zz4p
Speaking of the H-1 Rehab, in the news a few years ago was an H-1 widening project that was supposed to take place in the same general area.
Here’s an article that mentions it:
http://www.honoluluadvertiser.com/article/20090113/NEWS01/901130354/1001/localnewsfront
“3 H-1 projects would reduce congestion, commute times”
The article quoted the current number 2 of the rail project and then Department of Transportation director, Brennan Morioka as saying “Residents have waited far too long for … relief on their roadways.”
How much roadway relief?
According to the article:
“Right now, it takes about 25 minutes to drive from the Middle Street merge to the Vineyard Boulevard off-ramp during rush hour, When traffic is lighter, it takes about 2 minutes to travel the stretch.”
“. . . the widening of the H-1 Freeway east-bound at the Middle Street merge could slash from 10 to 20 minutes from commutes during peak morning and afternoon periods.”
I’m assuming that the work going on now is the evolution of the project talked about in the 2009 article.
What strikes me as odd is the way the traffic relieving potential of the project has been de-emphasized. Most of the PR focus of the H-1 Rehab project is on the paving aspect. Even at the project’s website, (h1rehab.com) the traffic relief aspect of the project, although mentioned, seems to be downplayed.
As for the SA, here is how the H-1 Rehab Project is described in a recent piece:
http://www.staradvertiser.com/news/breaking/20140208_H1_Rehab_Project_time_change_starts_Monday.html?id=244549071
“The H-1 Rehabilitation project will upgrade the freeway asphalt to provide a smooth riding surface, install upgraded lighting, improve drainage, and install glare screens along the median.”
In spite of the obvious concern many Oahu residents have with traffic on the H-1, no mention is made in this article of the traffic relief that widening the freeway beyond Middle St. is expected to bring.
Furthermore, googling the above quote from the breaking SA piece will yield a multitude of articles on the H-1 Rehab from a variety of sources, most of which make no mention of traffic relief, including some from our own Department of Transportation which is doing the project.
There are exceptions, articles that do mention that the extra capacity being added to this section of freeway is expected to help with traffic, but it is usually mentioned in a less than prominent manner. This differs sharply to the way the H-1 widening used to be reported on a few years ago.
Overall, of the articles I’ve read and the television news mentions of the H-1 Rehab project I’ve seen over the past year or so, much more often than not, the traffic relief and the shortened travel times this project was once touted to bring about is not mentioned at all.
I wonder why that is? Traffic relief is still important to people today, isn’t it?
Reducing the amount of time spent in traffic, at least for a time, by “10 to 20 minutes” for everyone using the H-1 freeway during rush hour to travel between points in the Ewa direction and Downtown with a project that is costing Hawaii taxpayers less than $100M is a benefit worthy of mention, is it not? How much time will that other transportation project save those traveling on the H-1 and how much will that project cost?
And one more observation, when you look at all of the work on the H-1 Rehab project that’s been done to date, how much work do you see that’s “paving” and how much work do you see that’s “widening”?
Here’s another comment received via email from a reader whose Captcha code wasn’t cooperating, sent in resonse to R. Ferdun.
Yes, it was my mistake for using the Kal highway as an example, it is indeed a state highway. But the comment still stands. I will use examples closer to home with which I am very familiar.
A few years ago many of the neighborhood roads in Manoa were repaved. However, the main thoroughfares of University Avenue and East Manoa road were not touched even though the traffic on both is intense. Almost everyone who comes into Manoa Valley needs to travel on one or the other, including the heavy truck traffic to Manoa Marketplace. Both are in terrible shape. Last time I looked at the schedule, both are scheduled for 2015 by which time they will be in third world condition. And, based on Autunmrose’s comment, this is not unique to Manoa.
Our neighborhood had a similar experience, in which the side streets, which are lightly traveled and were in pretty good shape, were resurfaced first. After a few years, the main thoroughfare, which was rated as one of the worst in a S-A article (and it was really bad, e.g., it had grass and weeds growing in the cracks in the pavement, and in some places the weeds were over a foot tall) was finally repaved.
I’m wondering if there’s a technical issue that makes it easier, or less costly, to do it in that order, as compared to repaving the main thoroughfare first.
I think there is a Mayor’s representative at almost all Neighborhood Board meetings, available to answer questions about the work schedule and such matters.
Perhaps if folks attended these meetings they could raise their concerns in a forum where their voices would count.
While this is a good suggestion in practice, I find the need to raise such concerns at a board meeting problematic. Waialae Ave. is a high-traffic road. Its state of disrepair is obvious to nearly anyone. Furthermore, some of the issues causing safety hazards (e.g. ripping up road and leaving it untouched for weeks, not marking hazards, etc.) seem to be the result of basic incompetence or negligence. Professional engineers, planners, and foremen should be able to understand that large holes and drop offs are safety hazards and can’t be simply left alone for weeks. The maintenance of roads is a basic function of city government; we shouldn’t have to chase them down to perform that task responsibly.
The State work on H-1 goes on “ad infinitum” while the Pali Highway would embarrass a third world country.
Richards suggestion to address your questions at neighborhood boards is most appropriate. I find the mayor’s rep. follow ups on concerns and info requests.
Another comment received via email:
Some results from searching for this and that on google for people who, like me, are having trouble remembering all the details. As an aside, the first result could possibly suggest part of the reason the Honolulu Ethics Commission shall remain, among other privations, underfunded:
http://www.civilbeat.com/articles/2013/12/05/20579-the-list-contributors-to-mayors-transition-committee-revealed/
”
The List: Contributors to Mayor’s Transition Committee Revealed …
http://www.civilbeat.com/…/20579-the-list-contributors-to-mayors-transition-c…?
Dec 5, 2013 – Donors to Mayor Kirk Caldwell’s transition committee which raised $400,000 for an inauguration party and to help install …. Grace Pacific Corp.”
”
Aggressive road repaving plan announced – Hawaii News Now …
http://www.hawaiinewsnow.com/…/aggressive-road…?
Hawaii News Now
by Tim Sakahara – in 47 Google+ circles
Feb 25, 2013 – Honolulu Mayor Kirk Caldwell has announced an aggressive plan to … us,” said Darrell Goo, Grace Pacific Corporation Senior Vice President.”
This last one brings to mind Ian’s Joe Souki entry from a few days ago and may or may not indicate that Oahu has now entered an era of continuous street repaving, whether the streets need it or not (I must admit the argument that they may as well repave everything in sight once they’ve gone to the expense of setting up in an area does seem somewhat plausible to me depending on the ratio of roads demanding repair or preventative work to those not).
”
Alexander & Baldwin to acquire Grace Pacific for $235M – Pacific …
http://www.bizjournals.com/pacific/…/alexander-baldwin-to-acquire-grace.htm…?
Jun 6, 2013 – Alexander & Baldwin, Inc. andGrace Pacific Corp. jointly … “The addition ofGrace [Pacific] to the company will extend our …Kirk Caldwell.”
Thank you for connecting several dots.
We have to use Waialae on a daily basis and its condition is beyond dreadful. The quasi-sinkholes that have appeared in at least two locations are the result of contractor incompetence. These depressions were NOT there before this fiasco started, as the KHON article you link to makes clear:
“According to Glover, they were out there on Sunday night fixing that area, digging it up and putting down new asphalt.
But what happened was the layer beneath the surface was too wet before they put the surface layer on. So that’s why on Monday, the weight of the cars and buses pushed down part of the road.
The same thing also happened down the road near St. Louis Drive.”
There’s another story here related to this one. It’s about taxes.
http://www.civilbeat.com/voices/2014/03/16/21459-the-hidden-costs-of-giving-mayors-the-authority-to-add-a-get-surcharge/
“A few weeks ago I wrote of an effort by the Mayors of our Hawaiian Islands to acquire the authority to slap a surcharge onto the general excise tax and use the tax just like how it is used in Honolulu where there is a 0.5 percent surcharge to pay for rail. This bill is still alive and it represents probably the largest tax increase still moving.
“The bill, as it now exists, attempts to address a thorny problem called “roads in limbo.” There are roads on all islands whose ownership, whether by the state or the county, is uncertain.
“These roads have fallen into disrepair.
“The county is concerned that if it repairs the roads it will be considered to own them, meaning that it will be saddled with the burden of maintaining the roads forever after, and will also own any liability issues concerning those roads that arose in the past or that might arise in the present or future.
“So naturally, the county doesn’t repair the roads. The state, of course, has similar concerns so it doesn’t repair the roads either.”