Carmageddon, Hawaii style

Fortunately, I live on the East side but my Medical Assistant left work at 5 pm and got home to Maili at 9 pm! She had taken Nimitz Hwy and got stuck. For me, just getting out of the parking lot at Kaiser Mapunapuna took 10+ minutes, which normally takes less than a minute.

On another note, I wanted to comment on Panos Prevedouros' comment. He blogged that the traffic is bad with or without rail. I know he is an opponent of rail. However, what I don't like is that he hasn't come up with any other good solutions, as other opponents of rail. If they have a better solution, then they should speak up and not just criticize rail. And the other people that have the right to discuss rail are those that are going to be affected by rail the most. Okay, now off my soapbox.

Tuesday, it took me two hours to get home..left town at 7 and got home around 9:15. Waze re-routed me 3 times through the back roads of Kalihi, Aiea, and Pearl City. People in our office who take the bus to Kapolei left at 4 and got home at 10!!!

drtko147 said:

On another note, I wanted to comment on Panos Prevedouros' comment. He blogged that the traffic is bad with or without rail. I know he is an opponent of rail. However, what I don't like is that he hasn't come up with any other good solutions, as other opponents of rail. If they have a better solution, then they should speak up and not just criticize rail. And the other people that have the right to discuss rail are those that are going to be affected by rail the most. Okay, now off my soapbox.

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I for one would rather have suffered the inconvenience of adding a 2nd level to H1 (while I never heard this option considered [and perhaps it was], surely I'm not the first person to have thought of this). Another 6-8 lanes would alleviate much more traffic than rail ever will. However, I would suggest that the upper level be a toll road to cover cost and maintenance. I for one would gladly pay the toll for access to a fast commute.

I realize that the construction of this would be worse than rail, but I think longterm this would have been more beneficial and worth the burden IMHO.

WeazL said:

I for one would rather have suffered the inconvenience of adding a 2nd level to H1 (while I never heard this option considered [and perhaps it was], surely I'm not the first person to have thought of this). Another 6-8 lanes would alleviate much more traffic than rail ever will. However, I would suggest that the upper level be a toll road to cover cost and maintenance. I for one would gladly pay the toll for access to a fast commute.

I realize that the construction of this would be worse than rail, but I think longterm this would have been more beneficial and worth the burden IMHO.

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A toll road above the H1 was brought up..I would've liked that option. Honestly, not sure how often I'll take the rail. For me, I'd still have to drive to the station, find a parking space and walk a football field length to get to the platform. I could be halfway to work already. I've been to numerous community meetings and have met several times with HART for work projects ... Am still iffy if the project will get completed. Plus, I love my car too much..lol

WeazL said:

I for one would rather have suffered the inconvenience of adding a 2nd level to H1 (while I never heard this option considered [and perhaps it was], surely I'm not the first person to have thought of this). Another 6-8 lanes would alleviate much more traffic than rail ever will. However, I would suggest that the upper level be a toll road to cover cost and maintenance. I for one would gladly pay the toll for access to a fast commute.

I realize that the construction of this would be worse than rail, but I think longterm this would have been more beneficial and worth the burden IMHO.

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I do like that idea. See, these are the ideas that needed to be pushed. Not just have the platform of killing rail. But then you have those who didn't want rail because it would ruin the scenery. A 2nd level wouldn't sit well with those folks as well.

WeazL said:

I for one would rather have suffered the inconvenience of adding a 2nd level to H1 (while I never heard this option considered [and perhaps it was], surely I'm not the first person to have thought of this). Another 6-8 lanes would alleviate much more traffic than rail ever will. However, I would suggest that the upper level be a toll road to cover cost and maintenance. I for one would gladly pay the toll for access to a fast commute.

I realize that the construction of this would be worse than rail, but I think longterm this would have been more beneficial and worth the burden IMHO.

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I have a feeling that everyone will get what they want. The rail folks will get rail built. We might even use it a little while, before another gov and another mayor decides we should change it to elevated highway. Then good ole Pac Resources Part will get behind the project to rip out the rail and remake it as a highway. Of course that means in some places building new highway, but I doubt PRP will disagree with that either.

And the mayor will convince us to take the 80+ rail cars and park them in west Oahu and Sand Island and use them for homes for the homeless.

Personally, I'm waiting for part two of rail , when they declare eminent domaine and start confiscating property to run a line from Ala to UH. That will be ugly! That said, I've lived in towns with populations of 10-15 million - Bangkok, Hong Kong, Beijing - some form of mass transit is needed. Either that, or HPD and DoT will have to start communicating!

as I sat in traffic for 3 hours to go from Kaimuki to Ewa the phrase "What we have here is a failure to communicate" came to mind

Paul S said:

Personally, I'm waiting for part two of rail , when they declare eminent domaine and start confiscating property to run a line from Ala to UH. That will be ugly! That said, I've lived in towns with populations of 10-15 million - Bangkok, Hong Kong, Beijing - some form of mass transit is needed. Either that, or HPD and DoT will have to start communicating!

as I sat in traffic for 3 hours to go from Kaimuki to Ewa the phrase "What we have here is a failure to communicate" came to mind

Click to expand...

hyper tube anyone

Paul S said:

Either that, or HPD and DoT will have to start communicating!

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You don't ask for much of them, do ya... :tongue: