Closing of left-turn lane is harming businesses

Several businesses in Wai­pahu say ongoing rail construction is affecting their ability to do business and, in some cases, their bottom line.

Tanioka’s Seafoods & Catering on Farrington Highway has trouble with traffic flow due to the closure of a left-turn lane into its parking lot, forcing westbound drivers to make a U-turn at the next traffic signal, said the store’s chief financial officer, Jasmine Tani­oka.

Tanioka said the company decided to open at 9 a.m. weekdays, an hour later than usual, effective Aug. 1 due to the rail construction.

It has compiled petitions requesting the reopening of the left-turn lane, she said.

"It’s been really hard," Tani­oka said. "All we’re asking for is to find some way to give us the left turn back. (But) we’re so grateful that our customers still come through the construction."

Other nearby businesses have expressed similar concerns.

Kawika Kahanu, co-owner of 808 Automotive, said that due to the left-turn closure, the parking lot has become crowded, and his tow-truck drivers have difficulty navigating the lot.

"It’s just a mess," said Kahanu, adding that he also signed a petition requesting the lane be reopened. "Everything is congested in this parking lot. The entrance needs to be opened."

At Honolulu Kitchen, owner Steven Wong said he saw a 20 percent drop in business last month.

"I was concerned," said Wong, who opened the Chinese restaurant in March. "A lot of customers (are) saying that they don’t want to come down this way."

Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation spokes­man Scott Ishi­kawa said the left-turn lane will reopen temporarily once crews start work on other intersections. But he said crews plan to permanently close it once the columns and guideway are installed.

"For safety reasons, we are looking at permanently closing that left turn … because the columns are obstructing the view for oncoming drivers," Ishi­kawa said. "It would be difficult to make a safe access into the parking lot."

Waipahu Neighborhood Board member Blaine Tsu­gawa expressed frustration over the information provided by HART, requesting that the left-turn lane into Tani­oka’s be reopened. At last month’s meeting, HART Deputy Director of Construction Tom LeBeau told board members that the distance between columns is typically 125 feet. But the distance would be 151 feet over Wai­kele Stream in Wai­pahu due to its width, triggering Tsu­gawa to question why the distance could not be adjusted near Tani­oka’s to allow for the left-turn lane to reopen.

"My understanding is that they (rail officials) were pretty emphatic about the distance between the columns being set at 125 feet," Tsu­gawa said at the meeting. "I think we were led astray, and I think that is a significant problem."

HART will "be looking at all options regarding the left-turn" lane, Ishi­kawa said.

Construction efforts continue through Wai­pahu as HART officials announced crews will start constructing the rail guideway through the area, where several of the columns have already been installed.

A similar issue surfaced at Pearl Kai Shopping Center along Kame­ha­meha Highway in Aiea, where rail officials initially planned to close a left-turn lane into the shopping center, forcing customers to make a U-turn farther down the highway. Ishi­kawa said crews now plan to temporarily close the lane early next year for about six months but will continue working to see whether the time frame can be shortened.

The left-turn lane can be reopened into Pearl Kai because there is a traffic signal to allow drivers to make a safe turn, whereas the turn into the parking lot of Tani­oka’s does not have a signal, Ishi­kawa said.

Workers from Tani­oka’s, which opened in 1978, plan to ask the community and the neighborhood board for support and make a formal presentation at a meeting this month.

"We understand, and we’re trying to be accommodating during construction," Tani­oka said. "But after construction we’d like to have that left turn back."