Question: There’s a bunch of heavy equipment in the parking lot across from Roy’s in Hawaii Kai. What’s going on? Are they going to be working on Kalanianaole Highway again?
Answer: No, this isn’t for roadwork. The large paving vehicle and other equipment you saw are there to improve the Maunalua Bay Beach Park boat launching area, makai of Kalanianaole Highway near Keahole Street (roughly across from the restaurant you mentioned).
The Department of Land and Natural Resources’ Division of Boating and Ocean Recreation is overseeing the project, which will expand the vessel wash-down area and construct a roadway around it. The changes are intended to ease boaters’ access to the three wash-down stations and to make it safer for them to wash their boats by diverting vehicular traffic, according to DLNR.
“This has nothing to do with the highway. We’re rearranging how the vessels get positioned for their wash-down so there is a little more separation for improved safety. The work includes paving, re-striping and enlarging the area between boats getting washed and vehicles coming in,” said DLNR spokeswoman Deborah Ward, who emphasized that the boat launch ramp remains open during the construction work.
Work began Wednesday and is expected to last through this week.
Most of the parking lot will remain open during the construction work. However, the access road that runs parallel to Kalanianaole Highway will be closed near the wash stations for the duration of the project. Motorists may use the temporary road through the adjacent unpaved parking area, DLNR advised.
The access road and wash stations are scheduled to reopen Friday.
The cost of the project is $121,804, and the contractor is Maui Kupono Builders LLC, according to DLNR.
Q: My condo has a good view, and I like seeing the ships that come into Honolulu Harbor. I can’t make out the names, though. There is such a variety of boats. I’d like to find out more about them. Is there a fairly easy way to do this? I don’t get out so much anymore.
A: Yes. Check online at hawaii.portcall.com for information about passenger vessels and the daily shipping schedule at Hawaii’s commercial ports. The site lists the names and pier numbers of passenger vessels in commercial ports statewide, plus vessel movements (daily arrivals, departures and shifts) and the yearly cruise ship schedules, broken down by month. The day we checked, the site listed 16 vessels in port at Honolulu Harbor. Once you know a vessel’s name, you can usually Google it for more information.
A reader’s suggestion
Regarding the “fast” lane so many people talk about: The left lane of a two-lane road like the Pali Highway isn’t a “fast” lane, it’s a “passing” lane. For normal travel along the road, a person should be in the right lane. Then when they come upon a car going slower, they move to the left lane to pass the slower car. Once that car is passed, move back into the right, traveling, lane. The only time someone should be in the left lane is if there is a lot of traffic and both lanes are full, there is an upcoming left turn you want to make or if you are actively passing a car in the right lane. Where drivers use this system, it works wonderfully well and helps traffic flow smoothly without causing road rage. Thanks for your consideration. — Tom Frigge, Kaneohe
Mahalo
My husband and I want to thank the grandparents who came to the Kapolei Consolidated Theatres on July 5. Your family sat in the row in front of us, but you kindly left two seats directly in front of us empty, separating you from your family. We saw you gesture to your grandkids about why you did not sit next to them so that our view was unobstructed. Teaching them aloha by example: It doesn’t get better than that! — Mahalo, Peggy and Dave
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.
