You're creeping along, trying to find street signs in the dark. Traffic is blaring behind you. Those green signs that the city generally uses on the corners are easily hidden by trees, or dirtied into obscurity, or stolen by what seems to be an international cabal of street-sign black marketeers. New signs at Ward
light the way
Ah, but there on the corner of Ward and Kapiolani there's no mistake. The names WARD and KAPIOLANI are blazing away like marquees. These are new signs, internally lit by night and suspended from the traffic-light pole, which, in the scheme of things, ought to lead to the removal of the original street sign pole and free up a little more sidewalk space and urban visual clutter.
According to City director of transportation services Cheryl Soon, the signs went up in March, courtesy of of Sun Industries, an outfit that makes a variety of road-safety equipment. "They donated two signs, and we put them up to see if there would be any reaction. There hasn't been a whole lot of response so far," said Soon.
Since these signs are naturally more expensive than those screened in the City sign shop, the City wants to know if they're worth the trouble. Like 'em or loath 'em, call Soon's office at 523-4125 or write City Hall and let 'em know.
And while you're at it, push for street addresses on businesses and buildings THAT ARE ACTUALLY VISIBLE FROM THE STREET! (Not that this is a pet peeve -- we public-minded citizens at the WatDat Rapid Response Team are vitally concerned about driver-safety issues.)
Burl Burlingame, Star-Bulletin