HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0588.002 2006-2008
09/03/2007 23:01 8089594757 RICHARD LIONHEART (:6 :1
September 4, 2007
Please copy and distribute a copy of Richard Lionheart's ~a ~ is r?
each council member.
thank you very much,
Nouveau Enterprise _
Hilo, Hawaii
(808) 959-4757
Comm. No. ,s g g • 2
Ref. Ta
To Hawaii County Council Members, Ref. Date
I am writing in regards to the 1.8 million dollar plus interest proposal to instal:] a ?~aff.~c s .;~;~i.fil ~a.
the Mohouli-Kumikoa Street intersection.] am suggesting that you hold-off apptovin~;
09/03/2007 23:01 8089594757 RICHARD LIONHEART P'i' E"?
To Hawaii County Council Members,
1 am writing in regards to the 1.8 million dollar plus interest proposal to install a G•s~YTic i;; i ; ,:r
the Mohouli-Kumikoe Street ineersection. I am suggesting that you hold-off approving tt~i:
project so that common sense planning and design can be reviewed before it is too late.
One concern is the cost and maintenance required by computer controlled traffic signals sir.
compared to mechanical controlled signals. But my main concern is the term "trafllc flow Fri'.
by our planning departiment, traffic engineers and Finance Director Bill Takaba as cornpnr : I ~ o
the proper term "traffic control".
Our tral~c engineers are not capable of properly adjusting traff c signals for traffic flow a:~ ~~cl
in many metropolitan areas vn the mainland. They have created a dangerous and chaotic
environment causing drivers to rush and beat a signal before another vehicle reaches the FLU ~ Y n° <m~
to beat the green tight. Chaotic because drivers know there is no pattern to traffic s;i~iais ..I
gambling, it is a loosing cause to plan one's speed in order to increase chances of makinE; ; re rni
light as we used to have on Kilawuea Avenue from Kawailani all the way across downte•r+r~
Waienuenue Avenue. There was also certain signals that were designated to flash o~rangc: a. ~ i~, r 1~;V
PM. The mechanical traffic signals did not require a specialist to maintain or repair when l:p~l+.~irig
struck or mechanical failure occurred.
Another frustrating element caused by poor planning is when a traffic signal senses a velti I+: i!:
automatically begins a cycle of turning green while stopping the traffic that is already mo^~ ir;e,
even when said vehicle is making a right turn. Pwe chaos and stupidity.
A question is `why' this intersection took priority over lCinoole-Puainako, Kinoole and K:r,a i .i.,
Kilauea-Puainako, Kawailani-Ainaloa Drive and the many intersections that have teen wui : r r„ i.n
line for decades?
Traftlc control `theory' without traffic flow is poor planning. Our planning and tral6c
dcpar4nents have been indoctrinated into a cultwe of robots that base decisions on ttaffic
counters, accidents reports and the draw to new technology without the use of cotninon sc,~e; t~4 e
have taken the human element out of planning and react to patching holes in a dam wasting
taxpayer funds and placing ow county into debt while other intersections await their fate a};r
dinosaur traffic control measures wntinuc to stress ow traffic problems.
Please reconsider this project until our traffic engineers have a chance to review their des r; i
policies and apply common sense, economics and modem traffic flow patterns that will frog; as r.:
traffic woes and stress.
Richard Lionheart
Hilo, Hawaii
q59-~r~57