Question: One lane on Ala Moana Boulevard, from the Ala Moana Center bus stop to Piikoi Street and up Piikoi to the first light, is coned off and closed all day, used as parking for builders of condos and stores in the shopping center. Construction vehicles like cement trucks sporadically use the space. There is a large flashing arrow pushing traffic out of the right lane just after the bus stop. This is five days a week from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Are they being charged? If so, how much is the exclusive use of a busy road worth? It creates congestion that needs some compensation to taxpayers. Fifty stalls at $100 each a day sounds fair.

Answer: Both the state and city charge companies minimal fees to use a public roadway/right of way for construction work, just the cost of a permit in the case of the state Department of Transportation.

A company may apply for an occupancy and use-of-state highway right-of-way permit to “survey, maintain, inspect or construct,” said DOT spokes­man Tim Saka­hara.

There are restrictions in terms of schedule and time, e.g., work must be done during nonpeak commute hours, while traffic control measures and signs must be established, he said.

In this case, a permit, with a one-time fee of $10, was issued allowing work from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. weekdays only. However, Saka­hara said the permit was canceled Saturday after the DOT determined the work described in the permit was complete.

In the case of a city road, daily fees are assessed only if metered parking spaces are involved: $12 a day (excluding Sundays and state holidays) per metered space, plus a $5 permit fee.

 (The fee is set out under Section 15-22.8 of the Revised Ordinances of Hono­­­lulu: “Charge for enclosure or obstruction of parking meter spaces incidental to construction” — bit.ly/1Joa8az.)

However, because there are no meters, the contractor using the space also pays nothing for its use.

Unless a revenue-generating parking meter is being used, the city does not charge for construction staging on city roadways, said Michael Formby, director of the city Department of Transportation Services.

The travel lane restrictions on city roads are permitted from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., he said. The permit is for 30 days and is renewable “upon showing of a need.”

It’s a different situation in Wai­kiki, where the city announced that the developers of the Ritz-Carlton Residences are “reimbursing” taxpayers for exclusive use of the municipal parking lot at Lewers Street and Kuhio Avenue beginning April 6.

The city makes about $125,000 a year from the parking meters there.

The two-year contract calls for the developers to pay the city $150,000 this year and $175,000 next year. There is an option to extend the contract for up to two more years, at a cost of $200,000 the third year, then $225,000 for a fourth year.

Because the lot will be used for construction staging, no parking will be allowed “for public safety.”

Free Shredding

AARP Hawaii and Access Information Management again are offering free document shredding at the latter’s destruction plants in Aiea (98-736 Moanalua Loop), Kailua-Kona (73-4164 Hui Koa Drive) and Wai­luku (124 Manea Place), from 8 a.m. to noon, Saturday, May 2.

The public is invited to drop off a maximum of four file boxes or bags of old tax forms, bank statements and other sensitive papers to be destroyed. Staples and paper clips do NOT have to be removed, and AARP membership is not required.

Participants are encouraged to donate brown rice and canned goods, to be given to the Hawaii Foodbank in Kai­lua-Kona and Wai­luku. On Oahu the rice will go to Lana­kila Meals on Wheels while all other donations will go to the Hawaii Foodbank.

The free shredding is part of a series of events sponsored by AARP Hawaii to help educate the public about ID theft and related forms of fraud.

For more information, go to bit.ly/1CHVFAZ.

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.