More Harris
projects reviewed

Concerns over maintenance
could result in cancellation
of several projects

CORRECTION Monday, March 14, 2005 » In an story on Page A1 yesterday about city projects under review by Mayor Mufi Hannemann, city spokesman Bill Brennan was incorrectly attributed as saying that trees could cause problems for a sewer line maintenance project set for Kuhio Avenue. The information should have been attributed to city engineers and City Councilman Nestor Garcia. The Honolulu Star-Bulletin strives to make its news report fair and accurate. If you have a question or comment about news coverage, call Editor Frank Bridgewater at 529-4791 or email him at corrections@starbulletin.com.

Trees planted as part of the $19 million beautification of Kuhio Avenue and a $1.5 million Lunalilo Home Road traffic calming project may be uprooted as city officials review more of former Mayor Jeremy Harris' projects for public safety and maintenance concerns, a city spokesman said.

There are also plans to review the landscape hubs installed as part of the $2.4 million Ala Wai Boulevard beautification project.

City engineers are raising concerns about trees planted as part of the Kuhio Avenue project, because the roots could interfere with underground sewer lines if left unchecked.

The trees could also cause problems for a $299,000 sewer line maintenance project set for Kuhio Avenue in 2008 or 2009, said city spokesman Bill Brennan.

"Nothing may have to be done. ... But something on the other extreme (could be) a bunch of this is going to be redone," Brennan said.

Maintenance and the potential damage to underground sewer lines were among the reasons Mayor Mufi Hannemann ordered the removal of trees and planters on Punchbowl Street earlier this month.

The trees were part of a $1.45 million plan to create mauka-bound lanes on Punchbowl between Ala Moana Boulevard and King Street, which Hannemann has also canceled.

Another $12.4 million in city contracts issued by Harris' administration just before he left office are also being canceled, as the new administration continues its review of city finances.

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City Councilman Nestor Garcia, chairman of the Transportation and Planning Committee, has urged the Hannemann administration to "do some preventive maintenance" on the Kuhio Avenue trees and consider pulling all or some of them out if necessary.

"I would like to see a mitigation plan," said Garcia, whose district runs from Mililani to Makakilo.

Community members spoke out against all three projects, with a Waikiki group going as far as to sue the city in an attempt to stop the Ala Wai construction work.

In Hawaii Kai, many residents say a 2003 project to slow traffic along Lunalilo Home Road unnecessarily cut traffic lanes.

Brennan said there are also concerns about how trees in the road's landscaped median, which was part of the work, make turning left into side streets difficult.

"The really big problem is that the median is just plain too wide," said Mary Houghton, secretary of the Hawaii Kai Neighborhood Board.

"It's made the road so narrow. ... You can't get around the bus when the bus is offloading. It's just a very bad design."

She said she welcomes the administration's suggestions on what can be done to improve the situation, but also said that "no matter what you do, it's going to be expensive."

With the Kuhio Avenue project, Waikiki residents have voiced similar concerns. Robert Finley, Waikiki Neighborhood Board, said opposition to the project seems to have died down since construction was completed in December.

Several city agencies are involved in the project reviews, and Hannemann, prompted by community concerns, plans to take a walk down Kuhio Avenue as early as this month to help determine whether parts of the street should be changed, Brennan said.

"I think the mayor wants to go down and look at what, if any, problems are there," Brennan said.

Last week, Hannemann announced the city would slash 21 projects, six of which came out of the city's now all-but-defunct vision teams.

The projects range from a $7.7 million "rehabilitation" of Beretania Street to $54,380 for lighting improvements in Chinatown. Hannemann said he may reconsider some of the projects in the coming months.

The fall of the vision teams, which Hannemann has recommended not be funded this fiscal year, came as good news to some, who said the groups were just an easy way for the administration to push projects through the community without going through neighborhood boards.

"Any discussion of what belongs in a budget should be done in a neighborhood board meeting," said Lynne Matusow, chair of the Downtown Neighborhood Board, whose district saw several projects cut recently, including $410,400 to light Aala Park softball field.

But for Cynthia Rezentes, Waianae Neighborhood Board chair, vision teams were a way to get results.

"Waianae looked toward visioning as trying to almost catch up," she said. "The vision team concentrated on what we believed were projects that would benefit the entire community. You don't see signs going up, you see bus stop shelters going up."

Hannemann also cut one of the Waianae vision team's projects in his recent round -- $388,000 for improvements to Maili Beach Park.