Question: Now that Aulani has moved into Ko Olina along with Ihilani and all the other time shares and condos, will the public no longer have access to the lagoons and beachfront there? As it was, parking was limited to a handful of spaces, further discouraging use of beaches there by locals. The resorts there are not exactly affordable for the average resident.
Answer: Getting greater public access continues to be a point of contention among some people in the community, but the opening of the Disney resort has not reduced access, a spokeswoman said.
There have been no changes with regard to lagoon access at Ko Olina, according to the spokeswoman for the Ko Olina Community Association.
There are 197 free public parking stalls set aside for beachgoers from sunrise to sunset daily, she said.
As previously explained, the man-made lagoons are privately owned, but in return for being allowed to turn Ko Olina into a resort area, developers had to allow public access to the lagoons and beaches.
See archives.starbulletin.com/content/20090202_kokua_line for more information.
Question: Can you please describe the laws pertaining to school buses that display a two-sided stop sign while picking up/dropping off students? In my busy neighborhood (Salt Lake), many drivers don’t seem to realize people in the lane next to the bus and coming from the opposite direction need to stop when the stop sign is displayed. I have seen many drivers fail to stop, as well as many incidents of road rage toward drivers who obey the law. The main issue is our children’s safety.
Answer: "Overtaking and passing school bus" is covered under Section 291C-95 of the Hawaii Revised Statutes.
That law basically says if the bus has its "visual signals actuated" in a residential area, motor vehicles in the same lane as the stopped bus, as well as in adjacent lanes, regardless of the direction of traffic in those lanes, "shall stop … not less than 20 feet from the school bus and shall not proceed until the school bus resumes motion and the visual signals are turned off."
The visual signals are to indicate that the bus is either dropping off or picking up school children.
While the buses might have the stop signs, stop signs are not mentioned in the law. Instead, the visual signals required are four red signal lamps, two facing forward, flashing alternately, and two facing the rear, also flashing alternately.
If the roadway is divided into two or more lanes by an intervening space, physical barrier or "clearly indicated" divider, only motor vehicles in all lanes on the same side as the stopped school bus flashing its lights are required to stop.
TAG, YOU’RE CLEAN!
Regarding the complaint about the overgrown grass and weeds fronting some businesses near the Hawai’i Convention Center ("Kokua Line," Oct. 13): Two "stalwart" members of the Totally Against Graffiti group have volunteered to take care of the blight on Sunday if it isn’t cleaned up by then.
Greg Cuadro, chairman of the McCully-Moiliili Neighborhood Board, and Tom Heinrich, executive secretary of the Honolulu Neighborhood Commission, have volunteered to whack the weeds a week before the big community cleanup planned by TAG for Oct. 29.
If you want to help out, call 944-4656 or email marinhi@aol.com.
AUWE
To drivers on Kaimuki Avenue, Diamond Head-bound, between Kapiolani Boulevard and Kapahulu Avenue. Please stay on your side of the street. If you must cross over the center line, please remember who has the right of way. It definitely does not belong to the driver crossing over the center line. If you are afraid of driving too close to parked cars, then SLOW down. — Frequent Driver (both ways) on Kaimuki Avenue
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.
