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Maku'u rush hour
#1
After last week’s rain-out, my wife and I were looking forward to our trip to Maku’u market today. We don’t always go at the same time, but our “guiding principle” is to get there before all the bananas are gone (we’re simple folk :-) Well, today we must’ve arrived at the peak of rush-hour.

A sincere question[?]: Can someone help me understand the logic of directing arriving cars to wind all the way around the market in a big loop, only to bring you back to the lot you originally came in--unless you find a spot along the way, which is not where you want to park, because it’s so hard to get out when you leave because of the traffic jam behind you...

Why is there a traffic jam? One reason is because they’ve now blocked off the back exit, which consequently forces departing cars to come back onto the highway, many of which (yours truly included) want to go left. But going left is particularly difficult because of all the cars from HPP direction lined up to make a left into the market.

So on our way out, we decide to "take one for the team", you know, get out the quickest way to keep traffic flowing around the market. So RIGHT we go. Our plan is to turn around at Ainaloa and come back, no biggie. But wait. Lots of other "want-to-turn-left-but-can't" brethren are doing the same thing. So now we’ve got a mini traffic jam on Ainaloa blvd!

Then onto another mini-traffic jam going back to Pahoa because the cars trying to turn left into the market exceed the space allocated in the left turn lane, while the rest of us schmucks squeeze past on our way back to "sweet home" Pahoa.

If I didn’t know better, I’d think the aunties at the market were punkin’ us :-)

The beauty of it all is that we live in Hawaii, so it’s much more amusing than frustrating.

We left Maku’u with lots of delicious bananas [:p]

Tim
[?]
Tim

A superior man is modest in his speech, but exceeds in his actions--Confucius
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#2
They have never had a sensible internal traffic plan at Makuu. The remarkably proficient job done on building the new turn lane and associated access point afforded a great opportunity for internal improvements, but they missed the boat, at least for now. And why close the rear exit?

Cheers,
Jerry
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#3
My guess is someone on the exit route complained, and instead of just telling the complainer, welcome to the 21st century, they said OK you are just one person, so we will comply.


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I do not believe that America is better than everybody else...
America "IS" everybody else.
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I do not believe that America is better than everybody else...
America "IS" everybody else.
The Wilder Side Of Hawaii
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#4
Why not open the rear exit for exits only, and just right-turn (westbound) ones at that? That would seem to help reduce the congestion at the main entrance.

Of course, there would always be some folks who would try to turn left ....

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#5
The "rear" exit? I assumed the rear exit was the one that lets out onto the back streets, and it is exit only.


-----------------------------------------------------------
I do not believe that America is better than everybody else...
America "IS" everybody else.
-----------------------------------------------------------
I do not believe that America is better than everybody else...
America "IS" everybody else.
The Wilder Side Of Hawaii
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#6
All these intelligent Puna Webber’s and you can’t see the forest from the trees.
What do you think the problem really is?
To many cars and too little space.
No matter what your complaints are that’s the deal.[Big Grin]


"Many dreams come true and some have silver linings, I look for my dreams and a pocket full of gold" Led Zeppelin
If you think health care is expensive now, wait until you see what it cost when it’s free...now here come the taxes.....
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#7
I agree too many cars and too little space is definitely part of the problem. And btw, no knock at all on your crew for the highway improvements. You deserve your props--you held up your end of the deal.

So no complaints, it is what it is. Just was curious as to the logic behind the current traffic flow "system" within the market. It seems to me they took something simple and made it complex, but I'm not a traffic engineer, so maybe I'm missing something. (No complaints, really, I laughed all the way around the market.)

Based only on the last two times I've been there, it takes longer to get in and out. Why?

Suddenly more cars? Less space to park than before?

Have they optimized the potential parking spaces that they have?

Why get rid of the rear exit?

And (again), why circle around the market?

Tim
Tim

A superior man is modest in his speech, but exceeds in his actions--Confucius
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#8
Maybe it was unusually crowded this last Sunday because the Sunday before they were closed. Not everyone goes there on a weekly basis...but when you add up the closure of last week plus the holiday extra traffic and visitors....I would think last Sunday was not the norm....and should be back to more normal parking situation this weekend.
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#9
It would be rather startling to think that $650,000 of work actually made things worse.
I was a bit surprised that there was no right turn lane installed.

Let's hope that the traffic jam was a rare and unusual thing.

Punaweb moderator
Assume the best and ask questions.

Punaweb moderator
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#10
The early morning started out rather slow. I think people eventually realized it was going to be a decent day and all converged at the same time. As far as the interior traffic flow; The association has made the changes in the spirit of improved safety and convenience. I think it's safer, but the jury's still out on convenient. Feel free to smile and make suggestions to the staff.
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