Abundance of trees deters more buses from using stop

Question: I am an 82-year-old senior citizen who relies on bus routes No. 3 and 9, heading toward Chinatown, from a bus stop at Kapiolani Boulevard/Piikoi Street in front of Inspiration Design Center and the huge Moana Pacific condo-complex with 720 units and thousands of residents. Despite that, the frequency of bus stops there are as rare as the morning star in the sky. All other buses pass by swiftly without stopping, even knowing there are 10 to 15 eager people waiting in line. Why can’t the bus authority add more routes to the bus stop there?

Answer: The basic problem is that plantings in that area preclude more buses from stopping there.

The bus stop is located near the corner of Kapiolani and Piikoi, with foliage and large trees covering the rest of the block, said Michelle Kennedy, spokeswoman for Oahu Transit Services.

Because of that, buses leaving Ala Moana Center and turning left onto Kapiolani from Piikoi, especially 60-foot articulated buses, are unable to “properly service” the stop, she said.

Those buses may not be able to turn at the proper angle to be parallel with the sidewalk, she explained. Another problem is when Kapiolani is coned during rush-hour traffic, leaving only two Ewa-bound lanes open.

“Should the bus not complete the turn when the light changes, the bus could block both lanes, causing the traffic to back up on Kapiolani Boulevard,” Kennedy said. And if there are multiple buses at any given time, one will not be able to turn until the previous bus has left the stop, affecting traffic heading up Piikoi.

Meanwhile, Route A provides express service in the area, stopping at Kapiolani Boulevard and Keeaumoku Street for access to Ala Moana Center, and at Kapiolani at Kamakee Street, for access to the Ward Centers area.

“The express bus concept involves a ‘skip-stop’ approach to provide more efficient operations and adding more stops will diminish the efficiency,” Kennedy said.

If a more accessible walkway becomes available, she said OTS “will look at the possibility of more service for (your) location.”

Kennedy said Routes 3 and 9 have at least four buses an hour during the off-peak hours and more during the peak period.

Question: About a year or so ago, I asked TheBus customer service to check why the Kamehameha bus stop has no route signs. To this day, no signs. On several occasions, visitors have asked me if Route so-and-so stops there. This is a major stop. Why are there no route signs? The only sign there is a picture of the express city and express country bus but it doesn’t say which ones stop there.

Answer: It appears you are talking about the bus stop at the corner of King and Punchbowl streets, bus stop No. 131. It is the stop closest to the King Kamehameha statue on King Street.

If that is the case, route information is coming. (If not, Oahu Transit Services asks that you call 848-4500 to provide a specific location.)

Thirty-six bus routes serve that busy stop — 20 regular and 16 express routes, said OTS spokeswoman Michelle Kennedy.

To comply with standards set by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), a special transit information holder will need to be installed, she said.

“We have started the procurement process and will install the information holder on the existing light pole at the 4-foot level as required by ADA guidelines when the information holder arrives,” she said.

She thanks you for your patience and for bringing this problem to OTS’ attention.

Mahalo

To the doctors and nurses at Straub, where I had a recent operation, notably Dr. Mike Maeda, whose surgical skills are returning me to an active lifestyle; his personable assistant, Pam; the skilled physical therapists; and the fifth floor nurses/

nurse aides who provided 24-hour, second-to-none care. Angels, all! — Paul Hughes, Kaneohe

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