Kokua Line
By June Watanabe
Tuesday, February 16, 1999
Kokua Line
The new bus shelters going in are too high and don't provide any shelter. Why? City bus shelters built
for narrow spacesForty-nine bus shelters have been erected since Jan. 6, designed "as a result of input from many persons," said city Department of Transportation Services Director Cheryl Soon.
Depending on where they are located, the shelters are of three different sizes.
The one shown above, on the Pali Highway, was designed to fit a narrow space, with the roof only 5-feet wide, Soon said.
"Encroaching the shelter into private property is not possible at many of these locations," she said. Because there have been numerous requests for shelters in narrow areas, the narrow ones were installed instead of having no shelter at all, Soon said.
Asked if there are plans to "fix" the structures because of complaints, Soon said improvements will be considered and "fixes" will be made as other shelters are installed. The 49 already in place are just the initial group planned under the new design.
Asked what the rationale is of the new design -- as opposed to the old Plexiglas shelters -- Soon said it is meant to convey "a City standard, a design which is attractive, functional and could fit within available spaces."
Also, they "are intended to represent a fresh and attractive look to complement the Hawaiian scene as opposed to the industrial look of the Plexiglas-styled ones," she said.
Including site improvements, the shelters cost $8,000, $9,000 or $10,000, depending on size.
Seven are in Kaneohe; four along the Pali Highway; two, Kahala; five, Waianae; seven, Ewa; five, Waipahu; one, Pearl City; eight, Ala Moana; two, Kalihi; three, Pearl Harbor; one, Sand Island; two, Waimalu; and two, Alapai.
To the woman driving a gray Nissan Maxima, who suddenly swerved into my lane about 2:20 p.m. Friday, Jan. 15, as we drove mauka on Punahou Street, near Punahou School. I honked my horn and stepped on my brakes as my passenger and I, filled with fear, prepared for a crash. Fortunately, I was able to stop within inches of her rear fender. The driver did not even slow down or act concerned. I am a 77-year-old woman with a very good driving record. This incident scared me. I wonder when another driver will do the same to me, again. -- G.A.E. Auwe
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
