Regular bus riders won’t forget fiasco

In regard to the changes in the bus system, I must say that what those people did to the great bus system we had here in Honolulu is a terrible thing.

The new bus routes seem to make no sense. Buses No. 2 and 13 used to go down Beretania Street from Kalakaua Avenue to downtown, but now only No. 2, making No. 2 much more crowded.

Since No. 4 doesn’t come down through Waikiki anymore, to get to my church one has to take No. 13 and transfer to No. 4 or ride No. 13 all the way to University, a very convoluted and slow route.

Councilwoman Ann Kobayashi and Councilman Ernest Martin wrote in a recent Island Voices commentary about reconsidering some of the bus cuts and suggested repealing the "tip fee discount" to help fund services, and they listed other found monies ("Repeal tip fee discount to help fund reliable city bus service," Star-Advertiser, Island Voices, Sept. 11). Why weren’t these options considered before they ravaged TheBus?

Those of us who ride the bus consistently are not going to forget this fiasco, especially in the next election.

Sandie StoutenburgHonolulu

Make all students use school buses

For the last 15 years, merchants, gallery owners and restaurateurs have worked to build up downtown to a thriving, dynamic community. Many new businesses are now succeeding here.

I have watched with dismay to see former Mayor Mufi Hannemann, Mayor Peter Carlisle, and now mayoral candidate Kirk Caldwell try to destroy the historic downtown area with a train going right through it. They must be aware that rail as they propose it won’t alleviate traffic congestion. The three of them have disregarded anything that would really work.

I have a suggestion for something that we know could work. When school is out traffic is cut in half. How about trying mandatory school busing? It wouldn’t cost us billions of dollars and be a permanent concrete monstrosity.

Pegge Hopper
Chinatown

Rail won’t destroy beauty of Hawaii

Have you ever sat in traffic for more than an hour, just to go to work or school?

Well, with Hawaii’s growing population, traffic seems almost inevitable, no matter what time of day. We tried everything to ease the stress of traffic but it just gets worse. With the rising cost of gas and even the bus fare, a change is indeed needed.

I feel thgoing to get worse. We must think of the future generations who would suffer through that, if we don’t bat Hawaii needs the rail to be built, to help ease the traffic congestion that we face everyday. If we don’t, the traffic congestion is just uild the rail today.

Many fear the rail would also harm the beauty of our islands. It won’t affect Hawaii’s beauty whatsoever. Many cities such as Hong Kong, Tokyo, Paris and even Chicago all have rail systems and still are beautiful places to visit.

Brandon Ganio
Kalihi

Return Natatorium to the community

Jim Bickerton hits it on the head when he states that the public is increasingly being hemmed in by private interests who control most of the shoreline from the west side of Waikiki to Diamond Head. ("Natatorium planning kept under wraps," Star-Advertiser, Sept. 23).

Public access to beaches and shorelines is paramount in Hawaii. For too long private money has dictated who controls the state’s shorelines that are rightfully the public’s domain.

Commercial beach operations have greatly diminished the public’s ability to enjoy whatour tax dollars have paid for, and the Natatorium should not be appropriated by any single-use group that will serve mainly commercial interests. The so-called repurposing proposal for sand volleyball courts and concert venues, ostensibly for the public’s good, is pure shibai.

Preserve the arches and restore the beach. Continue to honor the memory of our World War I veterans and return this valuable resource to the people.

Philip Cedillos
Kula, Maui

Contraflow lanes dangerous, costly

The contra-flow lane on Kapiolani Boulevard needs to be done away with. We’re one tourist rental car away from a head-on disaster. The cones simply aren’t enough to inform drivers on what is going on.

If anything, it should be no left turns in both directions between Atkinson Drive and Ward Avenue, with no contra-flow.

We would also save money on those workers who put the cones up and take them down every day.

Fletcher Young
Kaimuki

Let’s discuss need for U.S. fighter jets

You reported that there are now 18 Raptor aircraft at Hickam.

In total, these cost more than the Honolulu rail system is planned to cost, yet we are not having the same public discussion as to whether this is an appropriate use of taxpayer money.

Are these a necessary defense against a real threat or are they just toys for the flyboys and fodder for the military-industrial complex?

For decades we have had fancy fighters at Hickam. In that time I have not heard who they defended us against, nor have I heard why a plane that is "awesome" is now required.

As the ones paying for these planes, I think we deserve a discussion just as we are having for rail. It is the same taxpayer pockets that are paying for both.

The people whose careers benefit from the planes should not be the only folks having input on the need for them.

Lloyd Jones
Waialae