We conclude our week-long series of reports on dangerous intersections with a look at one of the busiest on Oahu.
Everyday thousands of drivers make their way down Kapiolani Boulevard and cross at Atkinson Drive.
Kapiolani Boulevard is often six-lanes of madness.
"Usually it sounds like a race track out here. As soon as the light changes you hear people accelerating like they’re out at Campbell," said Terence Yorga who works a kiosk at the corner of Kapiolani Boulevard and Atkinson Drive. He has a front-row seat to the daily drama. "A lot of sirens that brings our attention to the windows and then usually there’s a reason why we go to the windows, it’s like okay what happened there."
Yorga has seen many accidents and dozens of near-misses.
"It is pretty crazy." In fact, during our interview our camera catches a near-miss. Watch the left side of your screen as a red sedan runs a red light, nearly hitting a bicyclist. "Just to speed up to another red light."
There are several problems at this intersection including these two signs that drivers see while turning onto Atkinson from Kapiolani. One reads no left turn, the other directly across the street reads left turn on green.
"It’s very confusing it’s not very clearly marked," said Leigh Anne Crocco who lives in the area.
"It’s definitely confusing she had to keep stopping me telling me like you can’t do like the left on the green arrow," said Crocco’s roommate Nicole Fusco.
The second problem is something we saw earlier cars turning left run on a red light. The illegal move is not tolerated by those heading to Waikiki on Kapiolani.
"They’re frustrated and they’re in a hurry and so if somebody comes around the corner and they want to catch the end of the yellow light and they are not going to let them do it. and they’ll hit them," said Yorga.
And many have been hit at this spot. This three-car accident in 2004 was the result of a hit-and-run chain reaction.
"I can’t tell you how many times I’ve been stopped at a red light and had cars going flying by me so that’s rather terrifying when you’re on a moped there’s no fender bender on a moped," said Ronald Cannarella, Makiki/Lower/Punchbowl/Tantalus Neighborhood Board Member.
And finally crossing the street at Atkinson and Kapiolani is often a race against time.
"It’s definitely dangerous for pedestrians, bicyclists, skateboarders just the timing of the lights is a little bit off it’s kind of all out of sync," said Crocco.
"Pretty long hauls to get across the street particularly to the Convention Center," said Cannarella. "You have to run to make the light, I feel sorry for the people in walkers."
See the original article at: KHON2 Local News
