Kokua Line
Kokua Line
Question: I live in Manoa Valley and am wondering how much longer roadside construction will continue. For weeks, during the day, Manoa Road has been one way with crews on corners digging holes, plus backhoes digging up curbing and installing new. First, why are crews digging up various corners, and second, why put in curbing? It is costing us tax money and seems redundant, since there was curbing, in most cases, there before. Construction in
Manoa taking timeAnswer: For some unexplained reason, it's taken us a couple of months to get an answer, so the roadwork you described is no longer going on, albeit not completed.
The city's "rehabilitation" of Manoa Road -- part of an improvement project that involves upgrading University Avenue, Oahu Avenue and East Manoa Road -- is temporarily halted.
But let's back up.
Currently, there are two projects along Manoa Road. One involves the Gas Co. installing new gas mains. The other is the city project, which includes installing drain inlets and reconstructing concrete curbs.
Eighty percent of the $4,481,500 city project will be funded by the Federal Highway Administration, according to the Department of Design and Construction.
The new curbs are necessary for drainage reasons, said Michael Yuen, the project's resident engineer. "The roadway serves as part of the city's drainage system. We want to retain the water on the roadway so that the drain inlets can pick it up."
Work on Manoa Road has been delayed, however, because of changes being made to the design of curb ramps to make sure they meet standards set by the Americans with Disabilities Act, Yuen said.
"We're trying to get some new designs, but it's like trying to hit a moving target" since interpretations of what exactly the standards are keep changing, he said.
A total of about 90 curb ramps are to be installed in Manoa, mostly on Manoa Road, University Avenue and East Manoa Road.
Q: A drainage ditch runs behind many homes on both sides in upper Kuliouou Valley. Someone is dumping their dog doo -- a lot -- in the ditch. Depending on rainfall, it settles behind various homes and causes a bad odor. It's obvious which home it is originating from. Is this legal? Can they be cited for health reasons?
A: Yes, they can be cited if it can be proven they are dumping the feces into the ditch, said Patrick Johnston, spokesman for the state Department of Health. "But we need some sort of proof."
One way is to provide Vector Control with a photograph or videotape of the infraction. Another way, if you know that the dumping occurs at certain times of the day, is to relay that information to Vector Control, Johnston said.
Then inspectors "can be on-site to observe themselves," he said.
If proven, inspectors initially will serve a notice of violation and ask that the dumping be stopped. If it continues, the violator can be subject to a fine of up to $1,000 per violation per day, Johnston said.
Mahalo
To Council member Steve Holmes for getting rid of the graffiti-covered freight container at the entrance to Maunawili and to the apparently cooperative owners of the property. I'd been meaning to call Kokua Line for months to complain about this eyesore, so I thought I'd finally do it to say thank you to those responsible. -- No name/Kailua
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