HONOLULU (KHON2) — City and State officials are working on installing traffic safety features along Kapiolani Boulevard following the tragic death of 16-year-old Sara Yara, who according to police, was killed in a hit-and-run crash on Kapiolani Boulevard and Kamakee Street on Feb. 15.
The City is weighing its options between installing raised crosswalks or speed humps at the Kapiolani Boulevard and Kamakee Street intersection. While both options are meant to slow down traffic, the City said each has its own benefits and challenges.
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“Raised intersections are normally done in a mid-block situation on a street that’s not so busy,” said Roger Morton, City Department of Transportation Services Director. “The speed humps that we’re talking about would be placed somewhere between 150 to 250 feet prior to the intersection.”
According to DTS, it has come to an official agreement with the state on the project and work will begin as quickly as possible.
“They have an existing contract that they already have for putting in speed humps. We don’t have such thing so for us and it would be a much more lengthy process. So we’re happy to have the state’s help putting it in quickly,” Morton said.
McKinley High School’s principal wants to see the work completed soon.
“If it can save one person, that’s already a positive for us,” said Ron Okamura, McKinley High School Principal. “It shouldn’t come down to pedestrians getting hit, but it’s a step forward.”
Okamura wants to see more done on Pensacola Street, where he said many students have to cross to get to campus. The City said, Pensacola Street is on its Complete Streets list and it’s looking at improvements in the area too.
“Even getting those flashing lights would make a big difference,” said Okamura.
The Honolulu City Council Transportation Committee Chair said, there are many types of options for funding to get more projects done.
“We need to put it together and make sure we can use it to actually implement projects,” said Tyler Dos Santos-Tam, Honolulu City Councilmember. “This is an opportunity that came out of a tragedy to get everybody together and it’s going to be a matter of keeping that momentum going.”
The Hawaii Department of Transportation will begin work on the Red Light Cameras for the Kapiolani and Kamakee intersection on Monday.
