Question: In April, I noticed that the “towaway/no parking” signs were removed from light poles on South King Street from Piikoi Street to University Avenue. The signs that were removed said “no parking in metered stalls from 3:30 p.m. thru 6:30 p.m.” What they did was leave the other sign that says “2 hr parking from 7 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.” Now, people are parking in those metered stalls during rush hour, causing buses to bikers to dodge parked vehicles and weave in and out of traffic. Why were the signs removed? I hope the city puts the signs back because it does not make any sense why they were taken out in the first place.

Question: Can you tell me why the “no parking” signs on the makai side of South King Street were removed? The 10-minute drive from town has become a 35-minute crawl in afternoon rush hour. The missing signs near 2525 S. King St. are particularly a problem because of the number of cars and buses that turn makai on University are forced to merge left for a 50-yard stretch. Who was responsible for this fiasco?

Answer: The city Department of Transportation Services removed the afternoon towaway signs on South King Street, from Alapai Street to University Avenue, in April as part of a continuing traffic study associated with plans to put in a bike lane along that route.

The signs were removed to allow parking in the makai lane throughout the day, including the afternoon peak traffic period, to test the effect on traffic, said Transportation Director Michael Formby.

He said the study also “is associated with a desire to add a bike lane” on South King, from Alapai to University, listed as Priority 1 in the Oahu Bike Plan.

“South King Street is a major east-west route frequented by bicyclists,” Formby noted. “The DTS goal is to make Honolulu a bicycle-friendly city and add bike lanes where possible.”

He said public notice of the study was given to local businesses, neighborhood boards, City Council members and by postings.

Formby also said that designating South King Street as a Priority 1 bike lane project “was vetted through the public hearing process.”

Priority 1 projects should be “considered (the) most important facilities for the network and should be completed within the next five to 10 years,” he said.

How is allowing parking conducive to studying the feasibility of a bike lane?

Formby said doing so allows DTS to consider installing a dedicated bike lane of the same width of the existing lane — 5 feet for the dedicated bike lane and 8 feet for parking.

Before the signs were removed, the department conducted travel time studies and is monitoring the parking’s effect on traffic flow.

Preliminary observations have shown “only minor traffic impacts, but no final conclusions have been drawn,” Formby said.

He asked that the public wait until the study is completed before providing feedback, “as we will not be making any decisions until we review the data.”

The study will continue until November, after which the department will decide whether to make the change permanent, he said. The department “will follow up our data review with public input through the (neighborhood boards) as to our recommendation.”

MAHALO

To members of the 16 Makua Alii Senior Softball League teams for their prayers, kind thoughts and donations for my wife, Debbie, who is battling cancer. When I read her some of the letters after her last radiation treatment, she had tears in her eyes. Your overwhelming generosity and kindness was unexpected and very much appreciated. — The Kahue Ohana