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STREETWISE

By Dennis Oda, Star-Bulletin
This sidewalk on Noeau St. leading to the intersection of 16th
Avenue in Kaimuki is full of cracks. Noeau Street is a worn out
street that the city says is owned by Bank of Hawaii. But the bank
says Noeau and Claudine streets were conveyed to the city in 1980.

City, bank both
say: We don’t own
streets and won’t
fix them

City won't take over private
streets until the owner fixes them,
but Bank of Hawaii says it
doesn't own these two

By Harold Morse
Star-Bulletin

THE neglected street, the buckling sidewalk. Why doesn't the city repair them? In hundreds of cases, it's because the streets are privately owned, resulting in the perennial frustration of trying to get someone to pay for repairs and maintenance.

At least two streets in Kaimuki needing repairs are in a Catch-22. Bank of Hawaii, which apparently gained title to Claudine and Noeau streets when it acquired Bishop Trust, said it doesn't want the streets. The city says it won't take over any street not up to its standards.

Now the disrepair of sidewalks along Claudine and Noeau streets has some residents up in arms. Discussion on this has gone on for years, said Kaimuki Neighborhood Board Vice Chairwoman Lori Yamada.

Noeau, between 16th Avenue and Claudine Street, is plagued with bad sidewalks, she said.

"Claudine is also in disrepair," Yamada said. "It's the same thing," with broken cement and holes. "If you don't watch where you're stepping, you might trip into some sort of crack."

Yamada asked: "If these are private streets, who paved them in the first place, who put in the sidewalks, and who's supposed to maintain them?"

The city provides trash collection and emergency services along these streets, said Sandra McFarlane, who represents the mayor before the Kaimuki Neighborhood Board.

But while the neighborhood board asked that the city assume ownership, she stressed the city cannot accept substandard private streets. It's her understanding this applies also to nearby Keanu Street and Ekaha Avenue.

The early developer was Palolo Land and Improvement Co., which went out of business in 1946. Bishop Trust was appointed trustee over assets and property. Bishop Trust later became the trust division of Bank of Hawaii.

So, technically, Bank of Hawaii has title to Claudine and Noeau streets, said Mallory Fujitani, a lawyer on the staff of Councilman Duke Bainum.

But Bank of Hawaii has a different view.

"We don't own the roads or have responsibilities for them, and it would be extremely unusual for a bank to own a road or street," said bank spokesman Stafford Kiguchi.

Bishop Trust made a conveyance of streets in Kaimuki to the city in 1980, before Bishop Trust became a part of Bank of Hawaii. This was thought to convey all such private streets in Kaimuki to the city, Kiguchi said.

"There are around 900 private streets on Oahu," said Carol Costa, director of the city Department of Customer Services. Residents may opt for a street improvement district, with affected property owners each paying their fair share to upgrade streets to city standards. The city would maintain them thereafter.

The city already has completed an estimated 225 street improvement district projects, Costa said. The last residential project was done in the early 1980s in Waimalu, and the last commercial one was completed in the late 1980s in Halawa, Costa said.

The dilemma with Claudine and Noeau streets "is not unique to Kaimuki," said Bainum, the area's councilman. "While Kaimuki and other mature residential areas probably face the bulk of the problems with streets not up to standards," the private streets headache is islandwide, he said.

"We are continuing to work for solutions," Bainum said. "Right now, the solutions appear to be very expensive," although there are no preliminary cost estimates yet.

To work it all out, one would need not only the wisdom of King Solomon but also King Solomon's riches, he said.

---

Roadwork planned this week throughout Oahu:

LEEWARD OAHU

Ewa Beach
Fort Weaver Road from Farrington Highway to Hanakahi Street; and Farrington Highway from Piliokoe Bridge to Kahe Power Plant in the vicinity of Tracks Beach Park.

Waianae
Hakalina Road from Pahihi to Puhawai roads.

NORTH OAHU

Haleiwa
Haleiwa Bypass.

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.

Halawa
H-3 from Halawa Valley to Tunnel.

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, Pahulu and Noe 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; Waokanaka Street to the Pali tunnel entrance; Pali Highway 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 Kapiolani Boulevard to 1st Avenue; and Kapiolani Interchange.

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.

Waikiki
Ala Wai Boulevard between Ala Moana and Kalakaua Avenue; Ala Wai Promenade; Kalakaua Avenue and McCully Street between Ala Wai and Kapiolani boulevards; and Kalakaua Avenue from Kaiulani to Kapahulu avenues.

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; Kalaheo Avenue between Wilikoki Place and Kaiholu Place and on Aumoe Street; Kalanianaole Highway to Kawainui Bridge; Alahaki, Akaakaawa, Akamai and Akupa streets; Ilikaa, Akupa, Akahele, Akahelo and Nanaloko places; Akaakoa Street and Place; Kuuna Place and Street; and Old Kalanianaole Highway.

Waimanalo
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.

OTHER

OAHU PERIMETER RELAY
Mid-Pacific Road Runners Club's annual event begins 4 p.m. Saturday and continues 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Sunday. No parking near the Queen's Beach bathhouse at the start and end of the race.