Question: Portions of the newly paved Waialae Avenue in Kaimuki have been permanently striped, but we’re confused, mainly about the makai side between 10th and 11th avenues. There are the two main Hawaii Kai-bound lanes, then the bike lane, then another lane and a parking lane. The stripes on either side of the bike lane are solid until a short section just before 11th Avenue, where they are intermittent. Does that mean mauka-bound cars turning right from 10th Avenue are supposed to stay next to the parking lane until that short crossover section? And cars wanting to turn right onto 11th Avenue only have that very short area to cross the bike lane to turn?
Answer: You probably aren’t the only ones confused — or in need of clearer directions.
By law, cars are not supposed to drive in or park on a bike lane, said Michael Formby, director of the city Department of Transportation Services.
Heading east between 10th and 11th avenues, he said a car can either proceed on the makai (right) side of the bike lane or cross at the "dashed area," where cars are permitted to cross.
That said, DTS officials have looked at that area, "and believe that we need to dash the first 50 feet or so" of the lane so that cars headed makai on 10th Avenue and turning left onto Waialae can cross over the bike lane to eventually turn right on 11th Avenue, he said.
"We will be working on this change," he said.
Question: On Waialae Avenue eastbound, between Sierra Drive and the split to the entrance to the H-1 freeway and to Kahala Mall, the right lane has a bike lane symbol in the middle of the lane. Is this lane exclusively for bikes?
Answer: You appear to be referring to the "sharrows" (shared lane marking) lane, which feature a graphic of a bicycle with two wide arrowlike markings at the top.
"Sharrows indicate a lane of travel that should be shared by bikes and cars," said Michael Formby, director of the Department of Transportation Services. "Either has the right to occupy the lane."
That lane is wide enough to accommodate motor vehicles. It was explained to Kokua Line previously that sharrows are often designated when there is not enough space on a street to add a bike lane.
By comparison, a dedicated bike line is much narrower and defined by a bold white line or lines that run the length, or a portion, of the street. It is marked with a graphic of a person riding a bike.
On Waialae the dedicated bike lane between 10th and 11th avenues becomes a sharrows lane after 11th Avenue.
Mahalo
To a bus driver named Jackie who took the time and effort to return my wallet after I accidentally dropped it exiting Bus 42 in Pearl City last month. She was driving the bus behind the one I was in and noticed my wallet on the road in front of the bus stop, which was coned off due to construction. She took the time to retrieve my wallet, looked in it for a phone number and found that I am a member of the Leeward YMCA. She contacted the YMCA, which, in turn, called to inform me that TheBus had my wallet. My wallet was waiting for me at the Pearl City Bus Depot, and I was able to get it back the same day. My sincere mahalo to Jackie and also the Leeward YMCA for forwarding her call. — James Tominaga
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.
