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Green barriers keep H-1
trash from ocean

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Question: What are those green barriers that seem to have popped up around the drains on the freeway? I noticed them a few weeks ago around a number of the drains along H-1 going through town. They're turning out to be trash traps. There is an enormous amount of trash now collecting inside these green barriers, with the Fort Shafter-Ahua exit area a perfect example. Who put them there? Are they going to maintain them and clean them out?

Answer: Those green barriers are meant to be "trash traps."

They were put there by the state Department of Transportation to keep debris, chemicals and other items out of the storm drains during resurfacing and shoulder work being done along the Moanalua and H-1 freeways, said spokesman Scott Ishikawa.

This is required by the federal government for any road construction project to prevent storm drain runoff going into the ocean, he said.

As for collecting the debris, Ishikawa said the contractor and state crews have been picking up the storm-drain trash "whenever possible, but they usually wait until a safe time so they don't have to fight against passing vehicles."

The problem, he said, is that even after a recent cleaning, "some drivers still continue to dump trash along the roadside week after week."

Q: In the May 20 "Kokua Line," you answered a question about why Mililani residents are not able to post political or commercial signs on our properties. The Mililani Town Association said state laws cannot supersede the restrictive covenants of planned communities. I have no problem with that. But why, on primary election day, was the Castle & Cooke sales office ringed with the signs of one candidate? Castle & Cooke sells the properties and writes the covenants for Mililani.

A: Apparently, this was done without the approval or knowledge of Castle & Cooke officials.

Castle & Cooke does not endorse candidates, said Calvin Maeda, general manager of the Mililani Town Association.

He checked with staff at the sales office, who told him there were many sign wavers for various candidates during the day at that intersection but that no political signs were posted, or allowed to be posted, on the property.

However, the sales office closed at 5 p.m., and the signs could have been posted, without approval, on the property, Maeda said.

He also said there are no restrictions against residents waving signs from sidewalks in the community.

Mahalo

To a good Samaritan who helped me when I had a flat tire on the H-1 freeway, just after the Bingham offramp, in the wee hours of the morning of Labor Day. He had already gone off on the offramp and went out of his way to come back to help me fix my flat tire. -- Grateful Lady

Mahalo

To KUMU for restoring bipartisanship to our radio waves! It's so nice to have a radio talk show balance as we commute! -- Carol A. Holt

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