HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0468.000 1996-1998 r.,-
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AU iIST 20. 1997
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COU: ~ , ~ . ,
T0: DOMINIC YAGONB COUNCIL MEMBER
CHAIRMAN, PUBLIC WORKS & PARKS
WILL YOU PLEASE CONSIDER THE ITEMS FORYOUE
AND THE RESPECTIVE COMMITTEES REGARDING
THE ITEMS THAT I HAVE NOTED IN THE GENERAL
REQUESTS. YOU MAY CHOOSE EACH SEPARATE ITEM
OMDIVIDUALLY FOR FINAL GENERAL COUNCIL DECISION
OR APPROVAL
PLEASE FORWARD A COPY TO THE INDIVIDUALS
I HAVE NOTED ON SEPARATE SHEET THAT THEY MAY BE
INFORMED OF THE REQUESTS..
THANK YOU FOR YOUR COOPERATION IN THESE VERY
VITAL REQUESTS.
,$.7.AIC ~ R ELY ,
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7
Francis L. BEnevides, SR.
Volunteer, Traggic Safety
Coordinator
/FLB
CC: Mayor Stephen Yamashiro
Donna Kiyosaki, Chief Engineer
Jiro Sumada, Deputy Chief Engineer
Chief of Police, Wayne Carvalho
Harry kim, civil Defense DitECTOR
Eire Chief Nelson Tsuii xO~-
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R,ef. llate_ ~ Q ~ 1997
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HILO, HAWAII
AUGUST 14, 1997
MEMO T0:
I;OUNCILMAN DOMINIC YAGONG, CHAIRNAN
DEPT. OF PUBLIC WORKS & PARKS
25 aUPUNI STREET
HILO, HAWAII 96720
SUBJECT: PERUSAL, RESEARCH AND DECISION-ACTION
TAKEN RE STREET STRIPING, $~FLECTORIZING
AND OVERHEAD STREE LIGHTING.
I HAVE ATTEMPTED ON A VOLUNTEER BASIS TO
DO RESEARCH, SUG~E$1'IONS AND EVEN PROPOSALS FOR
THE PAST FIFTY-TWO YWARS IN THE AREA AND ISSUES OF
TRAFFIC SAFETY ON THE COUNTY OF HAWAII. MANY TIMES,
THROUGH THE COOPERATION OF THE I~yORS AND FORMERLY
CHAIRMEN OF THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS AND THE COUNTY
COUNCIL HAVE BEEN SUCCESSFUL IN TRYING TO ELIMINATE
MANY HAZAEDOUS CONDITIONS THAT WOULD ORDINARILY
CONTRIBUTE TOWARDS TRAFFIC ACCIDENTS,FATALITIES, ETC.
RECENTLY, I HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT SOMEONE OR
OTHERS IN THE COUNTY SUPERBISORY CAPACITIES HAVE
SET A VERY "LOW PRIORITY" IN THE ~'CRIPING AND THE
REFLECTORIZI?dG OF THESE STREETS AND ROADWAYS. MAY
I EMPHASIS THAT "NO MAN OR MEN ARE ISLANDS IN HIMSELF
OR THEMSELVES" WHICH MEANS, AS FAR AS I AM CONCERNED,
PRIORITY LIES IN THE LIVES OF PEOPLE, EITHER AS
MOTORISTS OR PEDESTRIANS. "AN OUNCE 0?PRFV~TION
WORTH A POUND OF CURE". DRIVING AT NIGHT ~SY$I.iHLLY,
'flN pRAINY NIGHT CREATES A PROBLEM WITH THE "ORANGE-
COLORED OVERHEAD STREET LIGHTING THAT HAS A "MIRROR-
LIKE VISION, THUS MAKING DRIVING A VERY POOR VISIBI
ANOTHER AREA IS THE PUDDLING OF WATER ON THE STREET
WHEN IT ESPECIALLY RAINS A LOT. MANY TIMES THIS OCCURS
BECAUSE OF THE SHOULDER BEING HIGHER THAN THE LEVEL
OF THE STREET. IF THE TRAFFIC DIVISION IS NEED OF
ADDITIONAL PERSONNEL IN STRIPING, ETC., THAH A RE-
SCHEDULING OF MANPOWER IS NEEDED.
-1-
S,
OVERHEAD STREET LIGHING.ENCLOSED-IS A - SKETCH
OF THE LEGEND OF THE PRESENT STREET LIGHTING SYSTEM
AND THE PROPOSED SYSTEM TO BRIGHTEN THE STREETS IN ITS
ENTIRE WIDTH RATHER THAN JUST ONE HALF OF THE STREET
WITH ITS PRESENT LIGHTING. IN 1988 THERE WAS A TRAN-
SITION OF CHANGING FROM THE MERCURY-VAPOR BRIGHT
LIGHTinG TO THE PRESENT LOW SODIUM ORANGE-COLORED
LIGHTS. THIS WAS SUPPOSEDLY TO ELIMINATE THE DETRI-
MENT TO THE TELESCOPES AT MAUNA KEA KEA AND FOR THE
PURPOSE OF LOW KILO-WATT ELECTRIC ENERGY COST. WELL...
IT COST OVER A MILLION DOLLARS, AND IT ONLU POVED ONE
POINT: THERE WAS NO CONSISTENCY IN ELIMINATING ALL
OF THE "OLD" LIGHTING AS THE HOOLULU PARK LIGHTING STILL
USES THE MERCURY-VAPOR LIGHTING...WHY WAS IT NOT TAKEN
OUT???? JUST TO SAVE THE TELESCOPES AND A FEW DOLLARS
THE COUNCY COUNCIL TEN AT THAT TIME DID NOT USE ANY
TYPE OF RESEARXH CONSIDERATION IN INSTALLING "DEFLECTORS"
AT THE TELESCOPIC LENS AT MAUNA KEA. A PROFESSOR HERE
HAVE VERIFIED THIS SYSTEM. IT IS THE AIM AND PURPOSE OF THE
COUNTY OF HAWAII TO FIRST SECURE THE LIVES OF ITS PEOPLE
IN PROPER STREET LIGHTING RATHER THAN TO SATISFY A FEW
TELESCOPE SYSTEM JUST "TO SEE THE STARS AND THE HEAVENS".
IT IS SUGGESTED THAT THE COUNTY COUNCIL OR THE DEPARTMENTS
INVOLVED OR AUTHORIZED FOR ANY CHANGES OR TRANSITIONS TO
DO THEIR OWN "HOME WORK".
BANYAN DRIVE MORE ILLUMINATING SYSTEM. AT PRESENT,
THE BANYAN DRIVE FROM THE HILO HAWAIIAN HOTEL ALONG
THE AREA TOLdARDS THE OLD HIBACHI RESTAURANT HAS A VERY
DARK APPEARANCE, WHICH MEANS, THERE IS VERY LITTLE SUN-
LIGHT APPEARING THROUGH THE BANYAN TREES THAT MEET ONE
ANOTHER. SOME TIME LAST YEAR, IT WAS SUGGESTED BY THE
WRITER TO TRIM THE CENTER OF THE TREES FOR PROPER AND
SAFER USE OF THE STREET OR DRIVE BY SUNLIGHT COMING THROUGH
THE TREES. REMEMBER, THERE ARE VISITORS AND EVEN PERSONNEL
OF THE HOTELS THAT WALK ACROSS THE STREET ACROSS TO THE OLD
' COUNTRY CLUB TO GET TO THEIR CARS. THEY ARE IN FEAR OF
SOMEONE MOLESTING OR ROBBING THEM. LET THE SUNLIGHT IN
TO BRIGHTEN THE STREET.
KAWILI-HINANO INTERSECTION....I HAVE MADE NUMEROUS
REQUESTS FOR PROPER LIGHTING IN THE ENTRANCE OF KA44ILI
INTO HINANO STREET. TO DATE, I GAVE HAD NEGATIVE AND "POOR
EXCUSES AND REASONING. MAJOR TRAFFIC INCLUDING TRUCKS,
VANS, SCHOOL BUSES, VEHICLES EMERGE INTO HINANO STREET
TO EXIT INTO LANIKAULA. SAFETY IS OUR FIRST CONCERN AND
NOT POOR EXCUSES. WE MUST LOOK TO THE PREPAREDNESS FOR
THE TWENTY_FIRST CENTURY FOR OUR CITIZENRIES' SAFETY AND
CONCERN. OUR GREATEST CONCERN, ASSETS AND VALUES IN
LIFE IS THE SAFETY OF OUR PEOPLE. THINK ABOUT IT.
-2-
MAY I SEEK YOUR FULL COOPERATION IN THE ABOVE
MENTIONED REQUESTS. "HONOR AND GLORY" ARE FINE, BUT
THE MOST IMPORTANT IS "DUTY AND SERVICE" FOR AFTER
ALL, SERVICE IS YOUR MOST IMPORTANT PRODUCT TO THE PEOPLE
OF THE COYNTY OF HAWAII.
~ERELY,
~~~~J
ANCIL L. BENE IDES, SR.
VOLUNTEER,
TRAFFIC SAFETY COORDINATOR
COUNTY OF HAWAII
"LEGEND"
'fPROPOSED BETTER QUATE LIGHTI G
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Due to the Orange-Colored Lights
creating a "MIRROR-LIKE-VISION'
on the Street especially when i
rains.
"LEGEND"
EXISTING LIGHTING SYSTEM
LAMP
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1/2 of Street only
Lights Up only 1/2 of Street