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Kokua Line
June Watanabe
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Drivers skirt lot limits by refilling meters
Question: I went to the state Department of Health on business about 10 a.m. one day and the parking lot was full. I ran some other errands, had lunch and returned about 3 p.m. but still couldn't find parking. I noticed that many, if not most, of the cars parked at 10 a.m. were still parked. Is the lot checked for over-time parking? The lot is small to start with and if people are allowed to park all day it can make it very difficult to do business with the Health Department.
Answer: There is a two-hour limit for parking in the metered Kinau Hale (Department of Health) parking lot.
The two-hour time is set at lots where people have business that usually can be completed quickly, said state Comptroller Russ Saito, head of the Department of Accounting and General Services.
DAGS' parking and security officers monitor the lot regularly and will cite a vehicle if the meter has expired, he said. But there's nothing to prevent someone from feeding the meters again and again and be parked from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., Saito said.
We answered a similar complaint three years ago (Kokua Line, Oct. 14, 2004).
At that time, Saito explained the basic problem was a lack of parking for both state employees and the public. He said DAGS was reviewing its employee parking pass policies to address at least part of the problem, and also would see about posting signs to direct people to nearby lots.
Since then, Saito said, DAGS has installed signs in state public parking areas, such as Kinau Hale, letting people know where other parking is available; and issued Civic Center passes to state agencies outside the downtown district, while not issuing such passes to agencies in the downtown area.
It also restricted Civic Center two-hour passes for use only from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.
If the lot is full, Saito suggests going to one of the other nearby lots pointed out on the posted signs.
Q: There's a new "No Parking At Anytime" sign on the corner of Seaview Rise and Paty Drive. Does this mean it's illegal to park on that side of the road? Because cars still park there. Was the wrong sign put up?
A: Yes. According to the city Department of Transportation Services, there should be a "No Parking Here to Corner" sign at the corner of Seaview and Paty.
Staff checked the site and sign Monday. A department official said a work order would be issued to install the correct sign and he thanked you for bringing it to their attention.
Mahalo
To U.S postal carrier Rhonda, who was picking up mail in front of the State Office Tower on Beretania Street at 4:15 p.m. July 25. As I was putting mail into the mailbox, a strong wind blew a letter out of my hand and across five lanes of traffic. The heavy traffic had stopped, but I was afraid to go after the letter. Rhonda, without hesitation, ran between the stopped cars to retrieve it. I was stunned by her quick action and wanted to say thank you. -- No Name
Got a question or complaint? Call 529-4773, fax 529-4750, or write to Kokua Line, Honolulu Star-Bulletin, 500 Ala Moana Blvd., No. 7-210, Honolulu 96813. As many as possible will be answered. E-mail to
kokualine@starbulletin.com.
See also: Useful phone numbers