Question: I want to know when the city and county will be repaving Kalakaua Avenue between Beretania Street and Kapiolani Boulevard. The road is in horrible condition with numerous potholes.
Answer: Kalakaua Avenue from Beretania Street to Ala Wai Boulevard, a stretch that includes the shorter section you mentioned, is listed as being in the “planning/design phase” on the municipal government’s list of recent, ongoing and upcoming road repaving work.
The planning phase is the earliest of the four phases listed for city repaving projects from 2013 through 2017. This status means the location is a priority to be repaved within that time frame, but that exact dates for the work have yet to be finalized.
Projects listed in the planning category are subject to utility clearances — they must not conflict with upcoming sewer, water, gas or communication cabling maintenance and repair work — and the availability of funding.
You can search the city’s road repaving list at 808ne.ws/pavelist.
Q: I will be flying from Maui to Vegas. I want to use my own scooter. What are the requirements?
A: We confirmed in a follow-up phone call that you need the assistive mobility device to get around (it’s not for recreational use) and that you are flying United Airlines. Knowing that, we can say that United generally will accept a customer’s wheelchair or scooter in addition to the checked baggage allowance at no extra charge. You can check the scooter at the ticket counter or the gate; call ahead if you’ll need a United Airlines wheelchair from the ticket counter to gate.
The airline generally accepts all types of wheelchairs and scooters including folding, collapsible, nonfolding, manual or powered, according to a section of its website devoted to travelers with special needs. Find the page about wheelchair equipment at 808ne.ws/ mobilityair.
We suggest that you read the page carefully, or call the airline directly, to make sure that you meet all the requirements. For example, you’ll need to know what kind of batteries your scooter uses, because some require special handling. Be forewarned that battery packs showing cracks and/or damage will not be allowed on the plane.
Before your trip, download and fill out United’s customer wheelchair information sheet, listing facts such as the chair’s serial number, battery type and weight. You can find a link to the PDF on the webpage we previously mentioned. Once you fill it out, make a copy for yourself to carry and affix the original to your scooter, to instruct airline personnel as they load and unload it. Besides assisting the cargo crew, the sheet also serves as a record should your scooter be damaged in transit.
As the airline states: “Please note, we do our best, but damage does sometimes occur, particularly with heavier powered wheelchairs.”
Auwe
There’s so many tourists coming to Hawaii, and thanks to social media they know most of the “hidden” spots. The state, county and tourism industry need to catch up. They must put enough garbage receptacles at these formerly out-of-the-way beaches and hiking trails. It’s no use pretending that people aren’t going to find these places. They already are, and they are leaving garbage behind — rubbish they might put in a can if there was one. Our public parks, beaches and hiking trails need more heavy-duty trash receptacles that are emptied on a regular basis. — Reader who picks up after himself
Mahalo
I want to send a big mahalo to the person who turned in my Sam’s Club card on Sept. 13. I am very grateful. — Pat
Mahalo
Several weeks ago while driving makai on Ward Avenue in bumper-to-bumper traffic by Straub Clinic, quick-thinking construction workers removed cones for me to pull over to the side to allow two emergency vehicles to pass. My car was squeezed between construction equipment and an SUV. The construction workers kindly helped guide me out of the “squeeze.” They were awesome! That’s the aloha spirit! Many thanks for the help and kindness. — From the lady in the Honda Fit
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.
