Bingham Street
residents unhappy
with how cars barrel
off the freeway

Some suggested solutions include
installing speed bumps, creating a
deceleration lane, or even
closing the exit totally

Roadwork

By Leila Fujimori
Star-Bulletin

Motorists taking the Bingham Street offramp from the H-1 freeway have been barreling through the narrow residential street at nearly double the speed limit for years, residents complain.

Cars don't always slow down fast enough in the transition from the freeway speed of 50 mph to the 25 mph speed limit in the residential neighborhood.

"My own daughter was nearly run over at Halloween," said State Rep. Terry Nui Yoshinaga, a Bingham Street resident. While trick-or-treating along the street, her daughter was almost hit by a car veering toward the sidewalk to avoid a car coming off the freeway.

A telephone pole was knocked down in front of her house.

And she has received many complaints from residents.

Some suggested solutions are installing speed bumps and totally closing the off-ramp.

Last week, a McCully-Moiliili Neighborhood Board member offered a proposal to reconfigure the Bingham Street offramp into a deceleration lane and direct freeway traffic to exit onto Isenberg Street.

Charles Torigoe says moving the offramp concrete barriers by a lane toward the freeway would create a quarter-mile deceleration lane leading to Isenberg Street, which 80 percent of drivers exiting at the Bingham Street offramp take. The lane would parallel Bingham Street, but the barriers would prevent exiting cars from accessing Bingham.

At a meeting of the McCully/Moiliili Neighborhood Board last week, Yoshinaga -- a member of the House Transportation Committee -- said she welcomes suggestions, but she also questioned the amount of available space on the freeway for a deceleration lane.

Torigoe said Bingham Street may have sufficient room to work with -- two and a half to three lanes -- with cars currently parking on one side of the street.

Yoshinaga has pushed in the past to close the offramp.

But she said the state Department of Transportation opposed closing the ramp because that would place greater stress on the nearby Punahou Street and University Avenue exits. Yoshinaga said Bingham may be closed when the Punahou offramp is expanded within the next five years.

Speed bumps were denied by the Department of Transportation because of the high traffic volume and the speed at which cars travel, Yoshinaga said. Rumble strips were installed as an experiment, but she said drivers ignore them.

Pericles Manthos, state highways administrator, said he has not seen Torigoe's plan and that no changes to the Bingham offramp are planned.

He added that his agency looks seriously at all the public's comments on the freeway system and recommends that people call the Highway Traffic Branch.

Make your views known Call the Highway Traffic Branch of the Department of Transportation at 692-7671 to comment on the freeway system.

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Roadwork

Planned this week throughout Oahu:

LEEWARD OAHU

Ewa Beach

Fort Weaver Road from Farrington Highway to Hanakahi Street.

Waianae

Hakalina Road from Pahihi to Puhawai roads.

NORTH OAHU

Haleiwa

Haleiwa Bypass Road; and Kamehameha Highway from Helemano-Waialua Junction to Haleiwa Beach Park.

CENTRAL OAHU

Kunia

Vicinity of Kunia Interchange to Waikele Stream Bridge and from Kupuna Loop to Farrington Highway; Kunia and Fort Weaver roads; H-1 Freeway Ramps 5 and 5B and all other ramps in Kunia Interchange; and H-1 Freeway in the vicinity of Kunia Interchange.

Wahiawa

Kilani Avenue from Holoku Place to Ilima Street; and Mala and Ilima streets.

Mililani

Mililani Interchange; and Lanikuhana Avenue.

Waipio

Farrington Highway, Leoole to Awanui streets; and Paiwa to Leoku streets.

Waipahu

Waipahu Street from Amokii Street to Waikele Road.

Aiea

Moanalua Road from Punanani Channel to Pali Momi Street; Kaonohi Street between Alania and Kahapili streets; Kahapili Street between Kaonohi and Kaonohi streets; Maohu and Heleconia places; and Akaaka, Ilee, Kulawai and Kaamilo streets.

Pearl City

Komo Mai Drive from Waimano Home Road to Hookupa Street.

HONOLULU

Foster Village

Halupa Street from Haloa Drive to Punihi Street.

Salt Lake

Ala Ilima and Likini streets.

Kalihi

Makuahine and Kalihi streets; Dillingham Boulevard between Waiakamilo Road and North King Street; Kamanaiki Street from Violet to Laulani streets; and Kapalama, School, Moani, Laulani, Puolani, Noe, North School and Pahulu streets.

Liliha

Huli Street; and Vineyard Boulevard at Nuuanu Avenue.

Nuuanu

Kimo Drive Bridge; Kaohinani Drive from Kimo to Pelekane drives; Kahawalu Drive between Kaohinani and Niolopua drives; Kahawalu Drive; Ragsdale and Homelani places; Pali Highway at Waokanaka Street to Pali tunnel entrance and from Country Club Road to the tunnel entrance, including both roads to the lookout; Dowsett Avenue; Waokanaka Street; and Old Pali Road.

Chinatown

King, River and Bethel streets.

Kakaako

Kapiolani Boulevard; Keawe Street on Ala Moana, South and Queen streets, and Nimitz Highway and River Street to end at Hotel Street; and Coral Street from Ala Moana to Auahi Street.

Kapiolani

Harding Avenue from Kapahulu to First avenues and from Kapiolani Boulevard to 1st Avenue; Kapiolani Interchange; Kapahulu Avenue between Kaimuki and Waialae avenues; and H-1 Eastbound Off-Ramp to King Street.

Makiki

Keeaumoku and Heulu streets; and Piikoi at Lewalani drives.

Moiliili

Kahoaloha Lane from Kuilei Lane to South King Street; and Kuulei Street from Kahoaloha Lane to University Avenue.

Punahou

Spreckels Street.

Kaimuki

12th, Koko Head, 6th and Kaimuki avenues.

Waialae

Aha Nui Place; Ainakoa Avenue; Malia and Makaikoa streets; and H-1 Freeway, Koko Head to 21st avenues.

Diamond Head

Harding Avenue.

Waikiki

Ala Wai Boulevard between Ala Moana and Kalakaua Avenue; McCully Street between Ala Wai and Kapiolani boulevards; and Kalakaua Avenue.

Wihelmina Rise

Maunahilu, Pakolu and Pili places; and Paula Drive between Maunahilu Place and Iwi Way.

WINDWARD OAHU

Kaaawa

Kamehameha Highway from Mahe Point to Lau Place.

Kahaluu

Ahuimanu Road; and Kialua, Hoopai and Poomau streets.

Hauula

Keala, Kawaipapa and Puuowaa roads; Waikulama Street; and Kamehameha Highway from Pipilani to Kaupau places.

Kailua

Kalanianaole Highway, Kamehameha Highway to Kapaa Quarry Road; Ililani Street from Mokapu Boulevard to Iliwahi Loop; Iliwahi Loop from Ilimano to Ilimano streets; Iliaina Street from Ililani Street to Iliwahi Loop and from Ilihau Street to end; Kailua Road at Kalaheo Avenue and on Aumoe Street; Kalanianaole Highway to Kawainui Bridge; Alahaki and Akupa streets; and Ilikaa, Akupa and Nanaloko places.

Waimanalo

Ahiki and Kakaina streets; Kaaiai Street from Huli to Nakini streets; and Kumuhau Street from Waikupanaha to Mahailua streets.

Kaneohe

Keaahala Road from Anoi Road to Keaahala Place.

EAST OAHU

Kalani Valley

Kalaniiki Street and Kalanikai Place.

Hawaii Kai

Kalanianaole Highway from Nawiliwili Street to Sandy Beach Park Entrance; and from Hanauma Bay to Sandy Beach.

PARKING RESTRICTIONS

2000 Sony Open in Hawaii

Parking will be prohibited on several Kahala streets near the Waialae Golf Course. Signs will be posted.