Question: Construction at Kalaloa Street and Kamehameha Highway, at the intersection for the Arizona Memorial, has been going on at least since 2005. What is taking them so long?
Answer: The latest word from the state Department of Transportation is that roadwork is expected to be completed in October.
We’ve done updates on the painstakingly slow progress of the Halawa Stream Bridge Replacement Project almost yearly since receiving the first query in 2006, with projected completion dates having come and gone several times. The original completion date was July 2006.
Back then we were told workers found a mysterious cable conduit that meant the project wouldn’t be completed until the end of 2007.
In 2008 we reported that it took a while for the department to determine that the cable belonged to the Army, that work only resumed in February 2008 and that it would be up to 18 months before the project would be completed.
In June 2009 the department said the latest problem involved “the drilled shaft, which is the foundation of the bridge itself.” Targeted completion was moved back from October to December 2009. That didn’t happen, but the year 2009 is carved into the side of the bridge.
By then the initial project cost of $7.2 million had climbed to $10.48 million.
In April KITV reported the project was expected to be completed in July.
We were told this week that crews are making final concrete pours through the area, but there will be a hiatus Aug. 22 to 26, when major highway work across Oahu will temporarily stop to ease traffic congestion as the University of Hawaii starts its fall semester.
Crews will then return to do the final pavement surfacings and installations of guardrails, lane markings, traffic loop detectors and road signs, a department spokesman said.
Although roadwork should be completed in October, “minor landscaping” will continue through May.
Question: What is the law against unleashed dogs? I live in Ahuimanu, where a neighbor always walks his dog unleashed and lets it do its business in everybody’s yard.
Answer: You can find a summary of state and county animal laws on the Hawaiian Humane Society website, hawaiianhumane.org/Current-Laws.html.
Section 7-4.2 of the Revised Ordinances of Honolulu says, “It shall be unlawful for the owner of any dog, whether such dog is licensed or not, to permit such dog to become a stray.”
A stray is defined as any dog on someone’s premises without the consent of the occupant or on a public street, public or private school grounds or any other public place, except when controlled by a leash, chain, etc., not longer than 8 feet.
The revised ordinances (Section 29-4.4(2)(9)) also require owners to pick up their dog’s waste “in any public place or on any private premises not the property of such owner.”
The Honolulu Police Department enforces the leash and litter laws. However, HPD has explained that an officer needs to witness the violation in order to issue a citation, or someone has to be willing to file a complaint.
Mahalo
To two nice people. I was driving to Hawaii Kai from Aina Haina when I got a flat tire near Niu Valley. I called my husband, an invalid, who called Craig Peterson to help me. Meanwhile, HPD officer Hotema stopped and changed the tire for me. When Craig pulled up, Officer Hotema followed us to Hawaii Kai Chevron to put air in the half-flat spare.
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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.
