Solutions to Tantalus Drive car racing sought

A public neighborhood board meeting is scheduled to be held in Makiki tonight where members will address the drift racing problem on Tantalus Drive in the aftermath of the January crash that left a triathlete with multiple fractures after a racing car plowed into her.

Area residents said racing and drifting recently have escalated with more racing motorists observed on the winding roadway during daytime hours.

“This really raises the danger level,” said Mark Bernstein who has lived in the Tantalus area for nearly 40 years.

“This has got to stop,” Bernstein, president of the Tantalus Community Association, said. “We don’t want to see anybody die up there.”

The Makiki/Lower Punchbowl/Tantalus Neighborhood Board meeting will be held from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. today at Makiki District Park, 1527 Keeaumoku St.

While drift racing during the late night hours on Tantalus Drive is nothing new to longtime residents, what’s changed is the reckless activity that is occurring more during the morning and afternoon hours, according to Bernstein.

Within the last three to six months, he has observed racing from 6 to 7 a.m. and at 5 p.m.

Tantalus Drive is regularly used by residents who walk on the roadside for exercise as well as cyclists as part of their training.

During the afternoon hours on Jan. 25, police said a car operated by a 20-year-old man was drift racing up Tantalus Drive with another car when it lost control and slammed into Lectie Altman, 33, who was riding her bike down the road with other cyclists from Boca Hawaii, a triathlon organization.

She sustained multiple fractures and was transported to Queen’s Medical Center in critical condition. Altman underwent multiple surgeries for her injuries. A GoFundMe account has been created to assist her with mounting medical expenses.

Police arrested the driver on suspicion of first-degree negligent injury. He was released pending further investigation, which could take up to a year to complete.

For Marcus Bender who has lived on Makiki Heights Drive for over 40 years, he has observed drift racing at all hours.

“It’s actually all day, all night,” he said.

“You’re living in a raceway basically where you hear (cars) screeching …,” Bender said adding he has observed up to three vehicles, one behind the other, racing on the road. “They use it as a race course.”

In addition to drift racing, area residents pointed out the 6- to 8-feet tall guinea grass on the roadside obstructs the view for motorists at the curves on Tantalus Drive. “You can’t see when you’re coming around the corner,” Bender said.

The city Department of Transportation Services is exploring ways to deter racing in the area. A meeting was recently held between transportation officials, representatives of the Tantalus Community Association, Makiki Heights Community Association, Honolulu Police Department, city Department of Design and Construction, and Councilmember Carol Fukunaga to address the issue.

Installation of traffic calming measures was suggested such as speed bumps and raised markers known as Botts’ dots.

Speed bumps, however, are not recommended for roads with curves and slopes under federal guidelines that the city administration must adhere to.

Jon Nouchi, deputy director of the Department of Transportation Services, has said Botts’ dots can cause more disturbances for the neighborhood with rumbling noises when motorists drive over the markers. They also tend to be slippery, especially in wet conditions.