Question: For the past two months, maybe longer, the H-2 freeway lights have been on during the day. What a waste of the taxpayers’ money. Isn’t there an on-and-off switch to cure the waste?
Question: The lights on the H-2 freeway are on at night and all day and have been on all day for a month now, costing taxpayers an awful lot of money. I’ve called the governor and they say to call your representative. I called the DOT and everyone passes me on to someone else. What’s the problem? As a taxpayer it really bothers me to see those lights left on and on and on. We really need some accountability.
Answer: Ironically, it’s because the state Department of Transportation hired a contractor to finally replace lights that have been out for years along H-2 freeway that there currently is too much light.
The lights have been on for about five weeks, DOT spokeswoman Caroline Sluyter acknowledged. But we’re told that’s part of the process of restoring the lights.
“The lights will remain on even during the day as we test the integrity of the system,” Sluyter said.
During the period the lights were off, wiring and fixtures were exposed to the elements, so they had be replaced, she said. In addition, rats stripped the insulation covering off some of the wiring.
“This could lead to short-circuiting, which we are testing,” Sluyter said.
The $2.4 million project to restore lights along the 8.3-mile stretch of the H-2, from the Waiawa to Leilehua interchanges, started earlier this year.
“Our latest estimate for completion is several weeks out,” Sluyter said. “We appreciate the public’s patience as we work to get the lighting system working properly.”
She said the contractor has added additional crews to expedite the work.
The DOT has been plagued for years by thieves, who strip the copper wiring from the light posts. See is.gd/RmhhTe and is.gd/OEOsxq.
Free Shredding
The Better Business Bureau of Hawaii will again offer free shredding of documents as part of its BBB Secure Your ID Day on Saturday, Oct. 20.
Access Information Management will accept up to two boxes of paper, CDs and floppy disks to be shredded/destroyed.
You’re asked to remove paper documents from binders, but staples and paper clips can be shredded.
The event will be held from 9 a.m. to noon Oct. 20 at McKinley High School, 139 S. King St. (entrance off Pensacola Street); at Aina Haina Elementary School, 801 W. Hind Drive; and at the Access Information Management Oahu Destruction Center, 96-736 Moanalua Loop.
You can also bring cellphones to be recycled by Verizon Wireless, which will remove all user content from the phones, although owners are encouraged to remove the data themselves.
The phones will be refurbished and donated to victims of domestic violence through Verizon’s Hope Line.
Additionally, Pacific Corporate Solutions will be on hand to accept old laptops, CPUs and servers, while BBB staff and Bank of Hawaii volunteers will be at each site to provide tips on preventing identity theft.
For more information, go online to hawaii.bbb.org/secure-your-id-2012.
Mahalo
To a kind stranger. My husband and I were waiting for dinner at a Chinese restaurant one evening and noticed a clean-cut young police officer picking up his order. As he was leaving, the cashier waved to us and told us that he had paid for our meal. We were so surprised and touched by his kindness. I asked if we knew him from someplace. He replied that he didn’t know us, smiled and waved. What a wonderful young man. — “K” and Tom
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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.
