Laura Bolles
Waialua

Change how crosswalks work

Simple to do, it seems: Change the traffic signals for pedestrians to cross only, in all directions at the same time. Left to right, right to left, diagonal.

Then the traffic signals for vehicles only.

That way no pedestrians try to run between cars and no cars try to cut between people.

We would not have one getting in the other’s way.

Connie Jean
Sand Island

B&B proposal not a solution

Honolulu City Council member Ikaika Anderson knows that it was never acceptable to have bed-and-breakfast operations in residential neighborhoods — they were always illegal and were "grandfathered" as non-conforming units to be phased out.

Now he’s back again promoting B&Bs and making enforcement of the law more difficult.

Under Resolution 15-72, when there’s a problem with noise or parking, and the B&B business owner fails to enforce the "house rules," residents must call the police, the state Department of Health or another agency to come and witness the complaint, because proof in the form of a "report" will be necessary in order for the director of the Department of Planning and Permitting to investigate an alleged violation.

If you can get an enforcement agent to your home at night or on weekends, and a report is filed, the largest fine the director can issue for conduct contained in the complaint is $1,000 — likely less than the cost of a night’s stay for the six guests that Resolution 15-72 would allow in the B&B.

Pauline Mac Neil
Kailua

Rail won’t solve traffic problem

I’ve never been a supporter of rail, and it’s not because I won’t be using it often while paying for it in extra taxes forever.

It’s because rail won’t solve Oahu’s traffic problems.

People are still going to drive their cars and hope other people use the rail. The majority of rail users will be people who would normally catch the bus and who live near the rail locations. It’s all about convenience and comfort.

Rail is a black hole where all of Oahu taxpayer money will disappear. The rail executives have a blank check to charge whatever they want. The financial and environmental cost will be enormous. Oahu has too small of a population to support rail.

The solution is to build double-decker highways like they do on the mainland. It’s much less expensive and would solve the massive traffic jams that Leeward residents experience every day.

Colin Kau
Downtown Honolulu

Segways pose safety issue, too

I don’t understand: If the city can get the homeless off the sidewalks in Waikiki, why can’t it pass a bill to stop the Segways from riding on the sidewalks in Waikiki?

Bicycles are illegal, and for sure Segways are hazardous to pedestrians.

The city should do something.

Patrick Carvalho
Moiliili

Is ‘not bad’ our new standard?

Members of the Senate Water and Land Committee want a chairman of the state Board of Land and Natural Resources "who would be a fervent and vocal advocate for the agency and its mission, rather than a chairman who would merely uphold the law" ("NOPE," Star-Advertiser, March 13).

This relates to the performance of a sports team that plays to win rather than not to lose.

Carleton Ching’s qualifications aren’t bolstered by the governor’s assertion that he "did not hear anything … that would disqualify nominee Ching from serving." Is the point that Ching would be good because he isn’t bad?

Even if Ige won by a large margin (merely because he wasn’t Abercrombie?), Ching’s confirmation shouldn’t get a free ride.

Ige’s due diligence regarding his nominee appears lacking and Ching seems unprepared to grasp the nuances of managing a sensitive department that often occupies the spotlight.

Mark Yamabe
Kaneohe

UH about more than just sports

I am puzzled.

Your coverage of the University of Hawaii is extensive, on some days filling several pages, even an entire section.

But almost all of it is connected either directly or indirectly to athletics.

Never do I read about the university’s academic achievements, interesting research projects, prizes for scholarly excellence, biographies of outstanding professors, etc. Just sports.

Reading my daily newspaper leaves the unmistakable impression that the university is not an institute of higher learning but some kind of summer camp.

Possibly I’m naive, but I thought the whole purpose of going to college was to get an education, not merely hone one’s eye-muscle coordination.

It seems to me the tail is wagging the dog. Who cares if some genetically tall fellow gets a ball through the hoop one more time?

Martin Blinder
Kaaawa

DOT doing well on repaving job

In response to the complaint about the westbound repaving of Kalanianaole ("Do a better job on Kalanianaole," Star-Advertiser, Letters, March 4): Just to set the record straight, the state Department of Transportation has stated from the very beginning that the westbound work would take longer because the lanes are more deteriorated and require more intense excavation.

I am impressed with how rapidly this project is moving ahead (80 percent of the work has been accomplished in approximately 35 percent of the alloted time) and also with the efforts to ease the flow of traffic during the work.

I have heard many compliments about this and it doesn’t seem fair that only the criticisms are publicized.

Rene Garvin
Hawaii Kai