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Central Oahu opting
By Mary Adamski
to calm traffic
Star-BulletinWhen traffic consultant Dan Burden told a Wahiawa crowd that a wide street is an invitation to speeding, it did not come as news to the California Avenue neighborhood.
"I feel that California is becoming like the H-1," said Paul Swerkes, a Wahiawa Heights resident who spoke at last week's traffic strategizing session, attended by about 50 people.
Everyone there had anecdotes to share about accidents and near misses on the long thoroughfare that begins in Wahiawa's retail zone and continues uphill past several churches and schools through a major residential area.
They voted on the "worst" traffic spots by pasting dots on maps, and they brainstormed about using solutions such as roundabouts or bulb-out curbs, which have been built in other neighborhoods.
The Central Oahu community is one of 40 locations on Oahu that will participate in choosing "traffic calming" measures at workshops by Burden, of Florida-based Walkable Communities, and the city Department of Transportation Services.
"It works because people take ownership," Burden said. "They have a sense of urgency because it's their own neighborhood, and they will defend the solutions."
The solutions here are not aimed at passing outsiders. California Avenue is not like Pali Highway, a corridor to elsewhere.
"When people complain about speeding, they are talking about themselves 99 percent of the time," said Sgt. Fay Tamura of the Wahiawa police district. "We need to look down at the speedometer and make a commitment to reduce our speed."
Burden agreed that "the problem is the people who live here." And when the participants and city engineers craft solutions, "they will be telling speeders it's not OK in this neighborhood; cars are invited in and (are expected to) behave correctly."
"Speeding is stealing from people," said the traffic consultant, who is optimistic that "10 years from now, it won't be acceptable. It will equate to puffing smoke in someone's face."
Swerkes told the crowd, "If you know your neighbor speeds ... tell him to slow down." The Lihi Way resident said he has practiced what he preaches, waving down motorists and telling them, "I have grandchildren here and you're a danger to them."
Swerkes said he fought his own mini-battle to calm traffic after the city paved the private street where he lives, making it an inviting shortcut. Recently, "the city backed down. I went out and nailed a speed bump in the street."
Paul Won, head of the city traffic division, told the group: "Let your imagination go here. ... Let the engineers work out the problems." The residents pondered solutions as simple as painting medians and bike lanes to narrow the through lane, and as complicated as building and planting in medial islands.
The community voted the intersection of California Avenue and Rose Street, the route to Wahiawa Intermediate School, as the most hazardous location.
Others on the Top 5 for terrible traffic were California Avenue near Leilehua High School; Glen Avenue and Royal Palm Drive; Whitmore Avenue near Ihiihi Street; and the entrance into Wahiawa, where the H-2 freeway exit meets Kamehameha Highway.
"I came away excited," said California Avenue resident Ellen Hyer. She proposed installing a permanent laser camera that would flash the speed to each motorist. "I'm trying to get more people involved. I want my senior club to go to the next one. I'm thinking of putting up signs in my driveway."
Department of Transportation Services head Cheryl Soon said city engineers will draft plans and return to the community in about a month.
