COM 0766.058 2004-2006 - Laserfiche WebLink

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Mr. Bob Awana, Chief of Staff Ms. Linda Smith, Senior Policy Advisor Governor's Office May 25, 2006 Page 2 intersection of Malulant Drive and Queen Kaahumanu Highway without. widening Malulani Drive will greatly increase the risk of accidents. Malulani Gardens is a gated community. Therefore, any vehicle turning into the entrance of Malulani Gardens from Malulani Drive must wait for the gate to open before driving into the project The gate, itself, is set back only one or two car lengths from Malulani Drive. Moreover, the entrance to the project is only four or five car lengths from Queen Kaahumanu Highway. As a result, any vehicle heading towards the airport on Queen Kaahumanu Highway that turns up the hill onto Malulani Drive runs the risk of being immediately confronted with vehicles waiting to enter the Malulam Gardens project. At present, because Malulani Drive is blocked off immediately above Malulani Gardens, this is less of a problem because virtually all- of the traffic turning onto Malulani Drive is comprised of residents of Malulani Gardens. Nevertheless, the County's decision to open Malulani Drive to provide access to Lowe's and other areas above Malulani Gardens means that will soon no longer be the case.. Instead, Malulani Drive could well become a heavily trafficked point of access. from Queen Kaahumanu Highway to Lowe's and beyond once the road is opened. Installing traffic lights at the intersection of Malulanh Drive and Queen Kaahumanu Highway will increase the traffic by encouraging drivers to use Malulani Drive. Moreover, installing traffic lights will encourage higher speeds through the intersection, as well as leading to more accidents as vehicles try to "make the light." For example, vehicles turning right from Queen Kaahumanu Highway up Malulani Drive will be encouraged by a green light to speed around the corner, increasing the risk of accidents with vehicles waiting to enter Malulani Gardens. In contrast, without the encouragement of a green light, they would be more cautious. Similarly, once Malulani Drive is opened, vehicles coming down Malulani Drive to Queen Kaahumanu Highway will be encouraged to speed down the hill if they see a green fight in front of them. This, in turn, will make it difficult for vehicles leaving Malulani Gardens to pull across the road and turn left towards Queen Kaahumanu Highway. In contrast; if traffic lights are not installed at the intersection, Malulani Drive will be a slower and less heavily trafficked intersection, reducing the possibility of collisions with vehicles entering and exiting Malulani Gardens. Of course, leaving aside the safety considerations, traffic lights installed at the intersection of Malulani Drive and Queers Kaahumanu Highway will further slow the already slow-moving traffic on Queen Kaahumanu Highway by adding one more point of delay.