Mess at bus stop lingers due to poor communication

Question: I’m calling about the bus stop kitty-corner from City Hall and across from the Hawaii Public Library on South King Street. On Feb. 13 there was a homeless lady who uses her clothes as her bathroom there. If you’re within 30 feet of her, the smell is so nasty that you almost throw up. She’s there under the bus-stop roof, sitting on one of the benches, and no one is sitting around her. The next day I come by and it’s all cordoned off, and there’s human feces on the ground and vomit beside the benches. I return Feb. 18 and it’s still cordoned off, and the vomit and feces still there. Flies were all around, getting on people. It stunk horribly. It’s almost like a Third World country. Can you find out why it takes so long to get messes like this cleaned up? It should be a two-hour turnaround. This is a busy, major bus stop.

Answer: A city contractor was sent to clean the bus stop immediately after we contacted the city Department of Transportation Services on Feb. 19.

DTS Director Michael Formby thanks you for bringing the matter to his attention.

"When we learn of situations like this, we either send out our DTS contractor or call (the Department of Facility Maintenance) and ask them to send out their cleaning crew," he said.

However, our inquiry days later was the first notice to DTS, he said.

A road supervisor from Oahu Transit Services, which operates the city’s bus system, cordoned off the area, apparently without DTS’ knowledge.

"I am now trying to improve the communication between OTS and DTS so that we can get the contractor out earlier to clean the bus stop," Formby said.

Next time, notify a bus operator, he said.

"I’ll make sure the bus operators know to call us immediately when they see or hear something."

Question: I recently learned (from Kokua Line and other sources) that the long-anticipated and needed overhaul of Kalanianaole Highway is set to begin later this year, perhaps as early as this spring. You can imagine my surprise, then, when I saw a pothole repair crew doing extensive repairs on the Ewa-bound lanes of Kalanianaole near Kawaikui Beach Park. If the highway is set to be dug up, stripped and entirely redone in the next few months, why are we spending taxpayer money on temporary pothole repairs now? It seems like a waste of time, money and resources, especially considering how many other roads could use pothole repairs instead.

Answer: The state Department of Transportation says the patchwork is meant to make the going easier until the highway can be resurfaced this summer, as well as to prevent the potholes from getting bigger.

The resurfacing of Kalanianaole from West Hind Drive to Hanauma Bay is anticipated to begin this summer, three to four months away.

In justifying the temporary repairs, the DOT notes that an average of 59,000 vehicles will travel that route in both directions daily.

If the existing potholes are not repaired, they will get larger and deeper before work begins, and may likely get worse with every rain, said DOT spokeswoman Caroline Sluyter.

"As potholes gets larger, they not only create greater wear and tear on vehicles, but many motorists also have a tendency to drive off-course trying to avoid them, creating safety hazards for vehicles in adjacent lanes," she said. "Although it can be a headache, pothole patching is very necessary to maintain our roads and to ensure that traffic can run smoothly and safely."

Regarding other roads, she said the DOT’s pothole crews work on a five-week rotating schedule. If anyone encounters a bad one on a state roadway, call 831-6714 or email dotpao@hawaii.gov. To report potholes on city streets, call 768-7777 or go online to www1.honolulu.gov/dfm/road/pothole.htm.

Other major resurfacing projects this year include Vineyard Boulevard in late March, with deck repairs to the airport viaduct likely to begin in April.

Mahalo

To workers from the city Department of Park and Recreation’s Division of Urban Forestry who took care of the tree that had fallen into my front yard. I appreciate the good job that they did. –Lucy

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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.