Developing ag land will drive away visitors

Columnist Cynthia Oi is quite correct in the issues she brings up about agricultural lands and their rezoning for urban use -- sprawl, infrastructure and loss of lifestyle (Under the Sun, Star-Bulletin, Oct. 15). She could have added that an urbanized acre of housing uses more water than most agriculture and contains more environmental contaminants than have been applied to agricultural land.

Another point she could have made is, why should tourists come to Hawaii (Oahu in particular) to drive through miles of subdivision tract housing when they can do the same on the mainland? A part of Hawaii's appeal has been its wide open agricultural spaces and great views. The tourism industry itself should be on board for protecting agriculture.

Richard Criley
Tropical Plant & Soil Sciences
University of Hawaii

Fixed rail is the only solution to gridlock

During the next 20 years, city planners expect there will be more than 78,000 homes built in Ewa and Central Oahu. That's roughly twice the existing number, and consequently twice the number of cars on the road. Clearly, we're facing gridlock on our roadways.

The only solution that can accommodate this massive increase in traffic is a high-speed, high-capacity fixed rail system, such as an overhead monorail.

Fix rail adds huge capacity without putting more cars on the road or eliminating existing lanes. The beauty of this system is that it operates on an exclusive right-of-way, neither affected by nor affecting street-level traffic. Unimpeded by congestion, it can swiftly move large numbers of commuters from their homes in Ewa or Mililani to work downtown or to the University of Hawaii in Manoa.

Traffic corridors in Ewa and Central Oahu already have tremendous congestion, and commute times are growing. East Honolulu and Windward commuters also are increasingly affected. Everyone is facing longer commutes, but this is minor compared to what we can expect in the near future.

Thirty years ago, the city adopted a growth-management plan to concentrate development in Ewa/Central Oahu on one end and downtown Honolulu on the other. A high-capacity mass transit system was an essential part of this strategy. Planners recognized that the great advantage of our "directed growth" plan is that it is linear and perfectly suited to a high-capacity fixed-rail system.

No more doubts, no more hesitation. Fixed rail is the only solution that will work for Honolulu, and now is the time to begin.

Gary H. Okino
Chairman
Honolulu City Council

Blocking the passing lane leads to road rage

When I was 16 and ready to get my driver's license, we were shown some films of horrible car accidents. In each picture the announcer, in a somber voice, went on to identify the cause of the accident.

One film stands out in my mind. It showed two old ladies out for a Sunday drive and behind them were the skeletons of the people in the accidents they caused as they drove at a snail's pace.

The driving manual said "slower traffic keep to the right." Don't hang in the left lane blocking faster-moving traffic.

The left lane is for passing. It is not there so cars can drive side by side. Observance of this simple rule would cut down on road rage and accidents.

When you are blocked in by slower-moving cars, how do you respond? Road rage?

Beatrix Shishido
Mililani

U.S. military still holds Hawaiians hostage

The U.S. military has occupied our lands since Jan. 16, 1893, and that is long enough. It's time that they cut back from their existing land base, stop requesting any more lands for their personnel, stop stealing lands from Hawaiians who are suffering the most by outside intervention, foreign invasion and corporations who are quiet but benefit off of the backs of the Hawaiians, to give to the military something that is not even theirs to give.

R. Kawehi Kanui
Waimanalo

One can oppose war and still be a patriot

I am tired of people questioning the patriotism of those of us opposed to the Iraq war. I would like to know what their records are as Americans that they think their opinion is more patriotic than the opinion of those of us who oppose the war.

My credentials as an American are as follows: My direct ancestor came to America in 1651. My family still lives on (and I own part of) the same land in Maine that has been in the family since 1755. As to loyalty, I have ancestors who fought in the Indian wars, American Revolution, Civil War, Spanish American War, World War I, and probably all the wars in between. My grandfather, a 30-year Navy veteran, died of a heart attack upon hearing about the bombing of Pearl Harbor. I served in the Navy during Vietnam and my stepson has just completed basic training for the Army. I believe in a strong national defense and am proud that my son is willing to fight for his country. All this doesn't make my opinions any more correct than anyone else's, but it does give me a right not to be questioned as to my patriotism. I firmly believe that the current administration is going against everything that America has ever stood for.

Ken Plummer
Honolulu

Hawaii Kai median takes valuable space

I am writing in regard to the $1.3 million Lunalilo Home Road "beautification project." I believe it is causing chaos in Hawaii Kai because traffic is worse. Before the project began, there were three lanes exiting Hawaii Kai. Now, while the median strips are being built, it is not clear how many lanes will fit. Currently, the space looks like it fits only two lanes, with one taken up by the median.

Many residents have lost their parking on the streets. When a bus stops on either side of the road, it creates a bottleneck of traffic. You have to maneuver your car between the bus and Mayor Harris' median. Every morning during rush hour, Lunalilo Home Road backs up much farther than it used to without the median. What about all those developing homes in Hawaii Kai?

This project is ludicrous and construction should stop.

Skyler Tajima
Honolulu

Why did they wait so long to accuse Arnold?

In view of California Governor-elect Arnold Schwarzenegger's admission of his illicit or unwanted behavior toward women in the past, I remain intrigued as these supposedly upset ladies continue to raise their heads like daffodils in winter. Or did they decide to retain the memory in case he ran for office?

Whichever it is, their accusations are somewhat wilted.

John Werrill
Honolulu