Could it be the answer to some of Honolulu‘s traffic woes? That’s what state transportation officials are wondering.
They’re considering a plan to restripe the freeway, which would add a fourth lane to the H-1. The idea has been around for years, but officials are now revisiting the idea.
"Traffic in the morning and in the afternoon is really bad," said Noriko York, driver.
"I hate driving," said Gilda Young.
State transportation officials are hoping to alleviate the traffic mess in Honolulu, by restriping the freeway, between Punahou and Pali Highway, and then possibly, between Middle Street and the Pali. Restriping, would add a fourth lane in both directions and narrow each lane to 10 feet, from 11 1/2 feet. It’s an alternative that could be cheaper and quicker.
"We don’t have to go through the whole process that a typical project would have to go through, it’s on our existing footprint, it’s just a matter of restriping so it’s really a maintenance issue," said Dan Meisenzahl with the Hawaii Department of Transportation.
Drivers expressed mixed feelings about the plan.
"I think it’s a good idea," York said.
"It would only be in certain sections, which means you would have to merge and drivers in Honolulu are crazy. I mean, to me, it would just create more traffic," Young said.
Other people worry about driving in lanes that are narrow.
"I don’t think that’s an issue during rush hour traffic, because no one’s driving very fast anyway but that is definitely an issue maybe perhaps in the middle of the night," Meisenzahl said.
Although transportation officials say this restriping plan is in the preliminary stages, Meisenzahl says, "there’s hope that maybe, possibly, we can get it done before the back-to-school jam."
This plan would also eliminate the shoulder lane, which EMS officials are concerned about.
They say in an emergency, drivers wouldn’t have anywhere to pull over when an ambulance approaches and adding a fourth lane to the H-1, could make it more difficult for paramedics trying to maneuver through traffic, since there will be more cars driving on narrow lanes.
See the original article at: KHON2 Local News
