Oi distorted facts in column on rail

Cynthia Oi in her column "Honolulu errs in putting all transit eggs in 1 basket" (Under the Sun, Star-Advertiser, Aug. 25) failed to check her facts.

Honolulu needs an efficient high-capacity system such as rail — and the city has always said rail is part of a multi-modal, integrated transit system.

Alternatives have been thoroughly studied, including street-level and underground options. Rail transit is the best option — a decision reinforced by transit technology experts, the Federal Transit Administra-tion, the Honolulu City Council and the public.

Oi accuses the city of "shrugging off concerns" about noise and view planes. Hundreds of public meetings, workshops and hearings were held, including meetings specifically to discuss and mitigate issues such as noise and other construction impacts. Where has she been?

About 3,000 questions and comments regarding the project’s impact on the environment were documented and addressed in the environmental impact statement.

Stop distorting the facts. Your readers deserve better.

Harvey Berliner
Deputy project officer, engineering and construction, Honolulu rail transit project

Let’s spend money on infrastructure

Since we all want to see improvements in our infrastructure, may I suggest the following:

» Instead of pursuing a questionable rail transit program, use $5 billion to fix our infrastructure. This accomplishes the goal of putting a lot of construction folks to work on long-term jobs now, rather than sometime after an environmental impact statement, political haggling and engineering work.

» Require large employers, notably governmental branches, to stagger work starting hours, as well as require the same for the University of Hawaii. When there are holidays, the roads are a breeze to travel, so let’s reschedule for elimination of the current bottlenecks.

» Refocus on efforts to improve costs, service, routes and equipment for the bus — an award-winning transit system we already have.

The money spent stays in the community instead of going to outside companies to build a transportation system that will only serve a small amount of the population.

George Hopkins
Honolulu

Sidewalks are for people, not vehicles

Whether "improved" or "unimproved," a sidewalk essentially is still a sidewalk. Yes, people can park on an "unimproved" sidewalk, but sidewalks were created predominantly for pedestrians. Pedestrians in Lanikai have to dodge an array of vehicles, including speeding cars, tour buses, limos and kayak rental vehicles.

Some years back, the Kailua community had to deal with issues about parking when special interests groups and tour businesses tried to pave a parking lot, on the boat ramp side of Kailua Beach Park, big enough for tour buses. The community fought back and won.

Now there is a beautiful grassy park for everyone in the community to enjoy and not an ugly parking lot.

Ever try to find parking to go to the beach in Waikiki? Why not have "on sidewalk parking" there?

Eugene Freitas
Kailua

Bless the teachers of social science

The state Board of Education is currently reappraising whether the social studies credits toward graduation ought to be reduced to three from four.

I think Willis Moore missed the mountain in search of a mole hill in leaning on Robert Buss’ "weak recommendations" and the Hawaii Council for the Humanities ("Not enough focus put on humanities," Star-Advertiser, Letters, Aug. 23).

I consider myself a secular humanist in my identity with teacher education at the University of Hawaii over the last 50 years. At times I’ve wondered if there was ever going to be reasonable accord between the departments of the social sciences and history at UH-Manoa.

I favor a good deal more, the civic, vocational and economic linkages that good social studies teachers can pull off. Bless them! I think that the "Race to the Top" will be flawed without more of such high school teachers.

Ralph Stueber
Honolulu