Teenager’s death spurs
crosswalk lights at
Fort Weaver Road

The flashing lights will alert drivers
that someone is crossing

Traffic light due at King Street crosswalk

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By Genevieve A. Suzuki
gsuzuki@starbulletin.com

By early next year, the state plans to install a flashing crosswalk device along a section of Fort Weaver Road in Ewa where a teenager was killed last month.

Marilene Bacani, 16, died after she was hit by a car July 9 as she crossed the road from West Loch Fairways to the city bus stop fronting the Child and Family Services building.

Robert O'Conner, 11, was hit by a truck March 17 as he crossed the road on his bicycle.

"It busted three bones in his knee and demolished his bicycle," said O'Conner's father, Buddie.

"He sleeps with his windows locked because he's afraid the truck's going to get him."

Although O'Conner was hit more than four months before Bacani's accident, "it took (Bacani's) accident to get the DOT's (Department of Transportation) attention," said state Rep. Willie Espero (D, Ewa Beach-Waipahu).

The flashing crosswalk features pedestrian-activated lights designed to alert motorists that someone is crossing the street.

The system was used temporarily on Pali Highway at Jack Lane before the state installed a traffic light. And most recently it was used along Farrington Highway in Waianae, but has not worked for a couple of months.

"It got vandalized," said Cynthia Rezentes, the former chairwoman of the Waianae Neighborhood Board.

Vincent Llorin, the bicycle and pedestrian coordinator for the DOT, said he does not believe vandals will get to the system at its new destination.

"The traffic in the area helps to keep people from vandalizing the system," he said.

The system was only on Farrington Highway for a trial period until the DOT could determine its viability and feasibility, Rezentes said.

"I'm sorry to see it go, and I wish they would put more in," Rezentes said.

But a lack of funding keeps the DOT from doing just that, according to Llorin.

"We can't install these flashing crosswalk systems everywhere. We just don't have the funds to do that," Llorin said.

"You'd think they could have more than one," said Espero.

He is concerned that the system will promote a false sense of security among pedestrians. "It has to be known that this is purely a device that will help them get across and that they should use caution," Espero said. "It's strictly a short-term solution."

Espero said he has been looking at turning Old Cane Haul Road into an underpass.

"If you give it adequate lighting and maybe put some cameras down there for safety and security, and maybe an emergency phone, it should work," Espero said. "That underpass would be cheaper than the overpass."

"I'll be working with the Department of Transportation to see if there are the funds for it," Espero said. If the funds are not there, Espero said he will see that it is in next year's legislative budget.

"This is an issue where it really is a life-and-death situation," Espero said. "Money is not a question anymore."