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Kokua Line
Question: When you come down the hill from Camp Smith, there are huge green highway signs. One says Pearl Harbor, indicating you go straight ahead. If you go down that hill and turn left at the intersection, there are no more signs for Pearl Harbor. Then you see a little bitty sign saying CincPac Fleet with an arrow going right. You turn right and it goes into a grocery store parking lot. What's up? Why aren't there any good signs telling you how to get from Camp Smith and CincPac headquarters to Pearl Harbor? Following the signs
on road to confusionAnswer: You'll be happy to hear that the state Department of Transportation will be modifying the signs to make the directions clearer.
On the CincPac sign, "we'll install an overlay on the existing sign that says "next right' instead of using the right arrow," said transportation spokeswoman Marilyn Kali. She noted that sign was installed at the request of the Navy "as a temporary measure."
It will be removed sometime in the future, she said.
Regarding directions to Pearl Harbor, the Transportation Department plans to install a guide sign in the median that will say "Pearl Harbor Next Right," Kali said.
"We will also revise the mounted signs to include "Pearl Harbor Turn Right."
Q: Let's see. To me, an annual pass is good for one year. Yet last Sunday, when I bought an annual pass for Diamond Head Crater, I was told it expires at the end of December, four months short of a one-year stretch. Like many others here, I find it appalling to have to pay to visit our state landmark. To get shortchanged in the process makes it worse. Shouldn't an annual pass be good for one full year?
A: Not when the passes are meant to be good only for a calendar year, said Ralston Nagata, state parks administrator for the Department of Land and Natural Resources.
You do get "shortchanged" this first year in terms of time. But since the passes are meant for local residents who hike frequently to the top of Diamond Head, the thinking is they still will get more than their money's worth from the $10 passes for the rest of the year, Nagata said.
Also, issuing the passes for the calendar year makes it easier for handling renewals, he said. For the year 2001, you'll have an opportunity to renew at least by December, he added.
Since the department began requiring a $1 entry fee for Diamond Head crater on May 1, more than 200 annual passes have been sold. The first day the fee took effect, "in excess of $1,000" was collected, including money from the passes, Nagata said.
Generally, people have been understanding about having to pay the entry fees, he said. "Overall, it turned out quite well."
Auwe
On the morning of April 25, I was almost hit going through the Likelike tunnel by a car swerving in my lane. I stayed at a distance until it was safe to pass, wondering if this person had a problem! The driver was reading a book! Was this person crazy? An accident involving innocent people may have been caused because of morons like this. -- No name
Mahalo
To the driver of a Budweiser truck. On the afternoon of April 3, in the Diamond Head Beach Park rest area, I was totally lost and you headed me in the right direction to Kahala. I greatly appreciated your help. -- A North Shore resident
Need help with problems? Call Kokua Line at 525-8686,
fax 525-6711, or write to P.O. Box 3080, Honolulu 96802.
Email to kokualine@starbulletin.com