Foster roundabout will prevent accidents

I am one of the many residents who refused to sign a petition to halt the installation of a roundabout in Foster Village. Fortunately, the city administration agreed with us and built it last month.

A few years ago, a boy was struck in the crosswalk at that intersection by a car driven by a woman checking her make-up in the mirror. Fortunately, he wasn't killed. He sustained a broken leg, not to mention psychological trauma. I believe a roundabout would have prevented this accident. A stop sign would have been inadequate.

Yes, the roundabout is inconvenient for motorists who are in a hurry. And, yes, it is not very pretty. But,think of that little boy who was injured by a negligent driver. If the roundabout prevents future accidents, then it will be well worth the cost.

Some speed limits need to be raised

Can anyone come up with logical answers to these questions? Why is the speed limit on the H-1/ Moanalua Freeway through the heart of Honolulu, Red Hill to Kahala, with a short exception around University Avenue, set at 50 mph while the speed limit on the Likelike and Pali Highways is set at 45 mph? H-1/Moanalua is generally three or more lanes in each direction with heavy, congested traffic nearly around the clock and frequent onramps and offramps. Likelike and Pali, on the other hand, are two lanes in each direction, traffic is generally light except during rush hours and there are hardly any access or exit locations.

H-1 has a 45 mph speed limit around University Avenue, which might be because of the idiotic design of the access ramps along with heavy traffic. Why, then, isn't the speed limit at the merge of H-1 and Moanalua, which is exceptionally dangerous, also set at 45 instead of 50?

But then, I guess it doesn't really matter. On my midmorning check run on Oct. 17, virtually everyone on all of the roads I have mentioned was driving 10 to 15 mph over the posted speed limits. While I didn't see our Honolulu Police Department boys in blue on this trip, it is my usual experience that they are right there with the crowd ignoring the posted speed limits.

Yes, I know there are accidents along all of these roads, and speeding might be a factor in some of them. I am talking here of common, everyday speeding, not the extreme racing that has occasionally killed both participants and innocent victims. Most often some other stupid move by someone involved is the main cause of the accident. Vehicles involved in such accidents must be a very small percentage of all vehicles using these roads.

Letter about Cheney didn't include all facts

The Oct. 15 letter "Politics a lucrative business for some" tries to mislead readers in characteristic leftist style. The author cites that Vice President Dick Cheney's stock option in Halliburton has risen since he has been VP as if to try to convince readers he is creating jobs for Halliburton so he can make more money for himself.

The letter writer does not include the fact that Cheney pledged to give all proceeds from his stock to charity a long time ago. His stock can go up 1,000 percent and it wouldn't bring Cheney anything besides higher taxes.

Misleading people is a great way to make your entire argument irrelevant.

Tunnel has Ewa residents' support

I thank Garry Smith for publicizing the effort and option to build a tunnel at the Pearl Harbor entrance ("Ewa road-widening seems never ending," Letters, Oct. 6).

Many Ewa residents expressed their support for a Pearl Harbor tunnel at a recent meeting where transportation solutions were discussed. It is an old idea with renewed attention because of the increased traffic congestion in West Oahu.

If we are able to build a tunnel, it will be a tremendous effort which will save drive time. If it is not built, at least we can say we tried. Other options, such as a rail system, more job creation in West Oahu and a bridge over Pearl Harbor are being pursued aggressively.

Regarding the Fort Weaver Road widening, Smith must have forgotten that it is the Lingle administration and state Department of Transportation who are responsible for widening the road. The Legislature did its part in appropriating funds. The Department of Transportation must now take responsibility to make certain the project is built without further delays. Director Haraga and Gov. Lingle, are you listening?

Growing vines might discourage graffiti

Auwe! To those "artists" who want to share their work on other people's property. The most obvious is the brand-new wall that lines the Aiea/Pearl City H-1 freeway lane expansion. On Wednesday there already was a new piece of artwork next to the Kaahumanu overpass.

Hopefully there is some plan in place to prevent future displays to take place. However, as the contractors finish up and no longer work night shifts, there will be others hiding in the dark, taking their place doing their own "work."

Millions have been spent to build the lane. Could a little be spared to prevent what will be a problem for years to come? Grow some vines or bushes along the wall line. I don't think most artists will want to take up pruning as a second job so they can express their creativity.

If not, we'll have to live with their contribution eyesores over and over while doing more work to fix theirs.

Military personnel should live on base

In "Key to rental crisis is all in the Ohana" (Letters, Oct. 19), Alan Ewell writes, "The easiest and most cost-effective option, however, is never raised: revise our Ohana Housing Ordinance to allow more rental units in existing neighborhoods."

I'd like to offer another solution. Get the military out of our affordable housing. Set a deadline where the majority of the military personnel will be required to live on military-held lands, in housing built and provided by our government.

If the military personnel who are currently being subsidized to live off base were eventually required to live in on-base housing, I believe this would free up a substantial number of middle- to lower-income housing, islandwide.

Let's face it, the military is holding a lot of land on this island, and some of this land could be put to desperately needed, good use. Military personnel are currently taking a lot of affordable rentals out of the civilian housing market.

The sooner the government gets moving by building/providing additional housing, the better for the civilian of the residents of Oahu that have been displaced by these renters for decades.

Sports mag readers have their rules, too

Ronald Reagan gave the world a fitting statement when he officially welcomed Sandra Day O'Connor "to take her place in history," as the first woman ever to sit on the Supreme Court. That is the same feeling I had when I watched along with the thousands, maybe the whole state of Hawaii, as Michelle Wie rightfully was taking her place in golf history as one of the youngest female golfers to turn pro and placing a respectable fourth in her debut rounds, at the SamSung World Championships.

Boy, weren't we all so proud of her? Then to be disqualified by a rules infraction. I agree the rules are the rules, and it is forgivable that Michelle thought she had done the correct thing in the ball drop, but to have a senior writer with Sports Illustrated, Michael Bamberger, wait so long to challenge her drop to officials is unforgivable.

Bamberger, instead of creating a stir and heartache for all, could have spoken sooner, and her card could have been correctly marked before she signed it. The rules are the rules, or doesn't that sell magazines? Don't worry, I will never buy another Sports Illustrated magazine, not even the swimsuit edition, and that is the rule to me.