Project could affect
emergency response
City administrators are expected to review plans to narrow Kuhio Avenue lanes after fire officials said the smaller street could lengthen emergency response times.
Fire Department heads met with city planners late last week to share their concerns about the project.
Under the plan, inside lanes will be narrowed two feet to about 10 feet wide. Outside lanes will measure 12 feet.
Firetrucks range in width from 9 feet 6 inches to a little more than 10 feet. Fire Department spokesman Kenison Tejada said firefighters prefer lanes of 11 feet or wider.
"We would be able to navigate (Kuhio Avenue) under whatever circumstances," he said. "It's just the timeliness of our response could be affected."
He added: "They'll operate the truck in a safe manner. If there's no room (or) if there's a real narrow threshold ... that'll make it more difficult."
City bus drivers have also expressed concerns about narrower lanes.
The union representing the drivers, Teamsters Local 996, will hold a "Safety Awareness Campaign" along Kuhio Avenue from 6 to 9 a.m. and 3 to 5 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday.
Teamsters officials could not be reached for comment yesterday, but a flier distributed for the event alleges that the project "would create narrow lanes and unsafe driving conditions for all of our members using Kuhio Avenue and for the pedestrians in the area."
Counting their side rearview mirrors, city buses stretch about 12 feet wide. But, said city spokeswoman Carol Costa, "The mirror is way above any car."
She also said that the lane widths should not be a problem for emergency vehicles using sirens.
"People get out of their way," she said.
Tejada said city officials usually consult the Fire Department on any road improvements or lane narrowing but did not do so for the Kuhio Avenue project.
Chris Jarrett, the Kuhio Avenue project manager, said there are other 10-foot-wide lanes on the island, especially downtown.
"It would not be the only place in the city," he said.
Neither Jarrett or Costa could estimate how much a change to the design plans would cost. But Jarrett said the earlier changes are put in, the less expensive the modifications would be.