Left-hand turns drive decades of politicking

When is a left-hand turn more than a left-hand turn?

When it’s a measure of political power.

And, apparently, when it’s on Kapiolani Boulevard.

Mayor Kirk Caldwell’s veto of the City Council’s bill to establish two left turns on Kapiolani during rush hour has historical precedence. As was pointed out in the current discussion, rush-hour contraflow patterns have been in place on Kapiolani since 1952, and politicians have been beefing about it at least that long.

Sixty-six years ago, even after contraflow measures were put in place on Kapiolani, the Board of Supervisors wanted to build an overpass so that Kapiolani and Kalakaua didn’t cross paths.

In September 1952, The Honolulu Advertiser reported:

“The dispute over constructing an overpass at Kapiolani Bld and Kalakaua Ave was revived at city hall yesterday. Supervisors voted 5-2 for construction plans, and Mayor John H. Wilson, steadfastly opposed to the idea, indicated he would veto the resolution …”

“The measure, introduced by Supervisor Samuel M Ichinose, would allow the overpass advisory committee to hire engineers to design the $739,000 structure. The project is proposed to solve the traffic problem at the intersection, which handles 46,000 vehicles during a 24-hour period.

“Mr. Wilson argues that a more satisfactory solution would be the widening of key streets paralleling Kapiolani Blvd and the extension of University Ave across the Ala Wai canal.”

As we know, neither the overpass nor the University Avenue bridge came to be. But a much cheaper idea — limiting or banning left turns along Kapiolani to keep the traffic flowing — took hold.

Like Johnny Wilson, Frank Fasi didn’t need any expensive consultant or fancy overpass to tell him how to fix the mess at Kapiolani Boulevard and Ward Avenue. Late for lunch one day in 1985 after getting stuck behind someone trying to turn mauka on Ward, the impatient Fasi famously ordered city crews to deactivate the left-turn arrow and paint over the lane.

Just like that. Same day.

It was a bold, simple act that’s almost unimaginable in its, well, action. And for 30-plus years, we’ve lived with the consequences of that late mayoral lunch.

Now, we have Ernie Martin, his acolyte Trevor Ozawa and their posse trying to do a Wilson/Fasi by ignoring what the experts say, though in this case they want to reopen left turns on Kapiolani at McCully Street and Atkinson Drive during rush hour, so it’s sort of a reverse-­angle Fasi.

What have we discovered after seven decades of trying to make a better Kapiolani Boulevard? Mainly that there are almost as many traffic management experts as there are coaching geniuses sitting in the bleachers at a Pop Warner game.

As for getting to Waikiki during the evening rush, you plan ahead and find a way. Because that’s what you do when you live and work in crowded Honolulu, in 2018 or in 1952 or whenever. You work around stuff.

And if you’re in local politics and looking to make a splash, a left-hand turn lane dispute is an opportunity to flex.

Reach Lee Cataluna at 529-4315 or lcataluna@staradvertiser.com.