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Question: There are two sets of lane striping on Hawaii Kai Drive. The stripes that look temporary appear to be more correct than the stripes that look permanent. This is very confusing and could lead to an accident. When will Hawaii Kai Drive have lane striping that’s clearly marked one way or the other?
Question: After years of delays and unforeseen issues that popped up along the way, Waialae Avenue is finally repaved. Thank God. Now we have to endure the confusion of the lane striping, especially between 10th and 11th avenues. There are several stripes, and it’s difficult to figure out where the lane is divided. I know I’m not the only driver trying to decide which line to follow. I appreciate all the hard work in completing the repaving project so hope this issue will be resolved real soon.
Answer: For both roadways it’ll be four to six weeks before the "permanent" striping is laid.
For Hawaii Kai Drive the contractor is working to complete the permanent striping between Paila and Keahole streets, said Mark Yonamine, director of the city Department of Design and Construction.
The contractor will then move to complete the permanent striping along Hawaii Kai Drive from Keahole Street to the west end.
Meanwhile a new "bus only" lane is being striped between Pepeekeo and Kawaihae streets.
"The contractor is expected to complete the striping along Hawaii Kai Drive in approximately four to six weeks," Yonamine said this week.
For Waialae Avenue what you now see is the temporary striping.
The contractor is working to install traffic signal loop detectors and adjust utility manholes and valve boxes in advance of the permanent striping, Yonamine said.
"Some confusion may be due to the difference between the temporary striping and the permanent striping," he acknowledged.
Because a new bike lane along Waialae Avenue is being added between 6th and 11th avenues, "some shifting of lane line" will have to occur, he said.
The re-striping on Waialae is expected to be completed by September.
Question: When will the traffic signal at Maile Way and University Avenue be operable? It’s been installed for months. Many people want to make that left turn from University Avenue.
Answer: The left-turn signal will be activated by next week, Michael Formby, director of the city Department of Transportation Services, said Wednesday.
DTS was waiting for Hawaiian Electric Co. to "energize the new power" there, which was to be done that day, he said. Once that happened, DTS would be able to change over to the new cables.
AUWE
To the driver of a car that hit my dog, then sped off: It was the Saturday before Mother’s Day, and I was walking my dogs along East Manoa Road. A flying termite caught their attention, and one of the dogs, Harper, lunged forward to catch it, the leash coming out of my hand. He ran after the termite, up the sidewalk, then across the street and back again. He finally stopped in the street, 4 feet from the curb. I took a step to get him when a sedan came speeding down the street from inside the valley, going so fast neither Harper nor I saw him coming. The driver ran over my poor dog. The car briefly stopped, then drove off. I was so distraught about my dog that I didn’t write down a license number. I frantically drove Harper to an emergency clinic while crying hysterically and trying to do chest compressions. That night I was forced to say goodbye to my precious pup. He was only 7 months old. His only crime was loving life so much that he wanted to play with a flying bug. While I know I should have held his leash tighter, I cannot help but think that if the driver had been driving remotely close to the speed limit, my dog might still be with me. I wanted to say to the driver who struck my dog: I hope you find peace with what you did. That dog meant the world to me, my family and my friends, and I still have not recovered from the sudden loss. — Victoria Shioi
Write to “Kokua Line” at Honolulu Star-Advertiser, 7 Waterfront Plaza, Suite 210, 500 Ala Moana Blvd., Honolulu 96813; call 529-4773; fax 529-4750; or email kokualine@staradvertiser.com.
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