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Round Top limousine
drivers, residents try
to compromise

By Harold Morse
Star-Bulletin

Limousines bringing tourists up Round Top Drive for a panoramic view of Honolulu and Manoa Valley are not as controversial as in the past, but residents are still concerned about traffic flow.

Residents bemoan that they experienced long delays in getting to their homes because of the crush of tourist-filled limousines.

"It's more of a long-term, smoldering kind of thing," said John Steelquist, chairman of the Makiki-Lower Punchbowl Neighborhood Board. "We had a pretty good meeting about two weeks ago with the limousine drivers and Sen. (Carol) Fukunaga."

"It seems to be working toward the consensus of improved drivers' skills, perhaps striping and that sort of thing to allow better parking."

With improved communication, drivers are getting the word to stay on their side of the road, Steelquist said. In turn, residents have to realize the Manoa Lookout is public and there's an economic need to allow tourists to see the view that residents see all the time, he said.

There are meetings, discussions and proposals still in progress, and a deep concern is safety, he added. There is danger someone on foot might get run over in the heavy traffic, Steelquist said.

Another resident, Harry Kaneta, said: "It doesn't bother us too much, you know."

He acknowledged a lot of traffic goes up and down.

"After all, it's the tourists that we have to take care of," he said. "I don't mind."

Drivers are told by their supervisors to be careful, Kaneta said. "The drivers are very careful too," he added.

The lookout -- near Puu Ualakaa State Wayside Park -- is a popular destination.

In past years, some residents have declared too many people are drawn to the lookout and jam up the drive.

Also, recurring complaints have been heard that the heavy vehicles wear out the roadway and city repairs of potholes are inadequate.