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Citizens told they
will decide on
Peterson traffic light

But the installation likely
would cost the busy area
two other crosswalks

---

By Gordon Y.K. Pang
Star-Bulletin

It will be up to the Kalihi-Palama community to decide whether it wants a traffic signal at North King Street and Peterson Lane.

A new signal likely would mean eliminating two nearby crosswalks, Transportation Services Director Cheryl Soon said today during a meeting with community leaders.

The meeting was arranged following the traffic death of 68-year-old Taisi Fautanu, who was struck by a car near the Peterson Lane intersection Nov. 24.

Lois Arakaki, a health educator at the nearby Kalihi-Palama Health Center, said another person, a young girl, suffered an ankle injury last Friday when she was struck by a vehicle while crossing King Street in the same area.

May Akamine, executive director of the health center, said three other people have been injured in the past year in the vicinity.

Soon said her department will make some immediate improvements. Existing pedestrian signs will be changed to the newer and brighter lime green variety. The Peterson crosswalk will be restriped in the larger and more noticeable "international" fashion.

There will also be more and brighter flasher signs that alert motorists of a crosswalk, as well as more 25-mile-an-hour speed limit signs.

Through February, Transportation Services will perform a traffic safety analysis of Peterson, Auld and Austin lanes, all of which have crosswalks at King.

Soon said the study will analyze the impacts of a traffic signal at Peterson. A traffic signal, however, likely would result in eliminating the Auld and Austin crosswalks.

The traffic signal could be installed as soon as March, she said.

Questioned why two crosswalks would need to be eliminated, Soon said too many calls for motorists to stop in a small area angers some drivers and increases the possibility of their doing something irrational. Previously, department officials have argued against a signal at Peterson because there are signals nearby in both directions, at Palama and Kokea streets.

Ultimately, Soon said, it will be up to the community to decide whether there will be a signal.

Some who work in the community, particularly those who work at the health clinic, expressed frustration about previous attempts to get a traffic signal.

Others at the meeting said there needs to be more education of both motorists and pedestrians about their responsibilities at marked sidewalks.