Hawaiian Shore's speed bumps

[critterlover]

Traffic safety/control is sure a huge issue here in Puna. From the cunning, though stealthy, planning of the Papio street bumps to the idiotic design of state roads and highways, like Old Pahoa Road and 130 and elsewhere, it is obvious traffic safety is never the quintessential reason for road design. I don't know but I would imagine the community members might have a case developing against their representatives for having laid bumps in such a manner as to encourage perpetual destruction of their road shoulders. As vehicles drive over the grass creating ruts and damaging the asphalt eroding the road edge to avoid having to drive over the bumps the long term damage costs may be another unintended consequence but it will be borne by the whole Membership. The time I drove down to look at the bumps there was a good sized flatbed truck, a newer one, white in color, and two compact cars coming out of Honolulu Landing. One car, interestingly the lowest to the ground, went over the bumps the other two drove around the first bump and turned up a side street. As I looked over their website I noticed in their documents that there is some responsibility to maintain and manage the community's property.

As to Hwy 130 and Old Pahoa Road, the right turn lane onto 130 from Malama side going towards Leilani is very uncomfortable. You are required to come to a stop and the limit line and curve of the intersection gives you the feeling that you are actually waiting ON the highway. Then they closed off being able to cross from the Fast Food road to turn onto Kahakai by their new lane markings. At least at that intersection you stopped at the correct angle and had a long line of sight with no obstruction with someone parked in a lane next to you waiting to turn left across the highway.

With the State and County traffic safety folks taking the lead in developing unsafe traffic conditions it is no surprise that leadership in the individual subdivisions might be tempted to follow State and County folly.

With the strong feelings of opposition to speed bumps by many many people I am not sure property values are necessarily enhanced. They may have gotten a bump up because of a cleared view of the ocean but the speed bumps may serve to cancel out the increase and even act as a deterrent for potential buyers in the future. When they can buy on a side street and not have to deal with the bumps but still have the view the folks facing Papio may have raised an impediment to speed with the bumps but time will tell if they did the same to their curb [resale] appeal!

Traffic control and how it is designed and enforced brings together a diverse bunch of people.

Question Authority!