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Last but not least Glenn would really like to see Kaua'i give the county manager style of Government a chance.
Above photo of Glenn Mickens courtesy of Kauai Garden island news, used with permission...
Traffic,Traffic,Traffic, Kauai's Number 1 problem
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| Mr. Mickens is locally known as one of Kauai county's political watchdogs and Nitpickers... Mahalos Glenn! |
Whether it is our local people or visitors, the number one problem that they list as needing fixing is our traffic.
But this is not a problem that started yesterday and hasn't given our "leaders" time to correct.
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| Downtown Kapaa, known as the Kapaa crawl to locals |
It is a problem that goes back decades ago when brighter minds had the foresight to propose alternate routes on Kauai to handle future population and vehicle travel instead of having basically one road that circles our Island.
But selfish and greedy people who believed that alternate routes would hurt their businesses stopped these plans from happening and thus we have the horrendous traffic that hurts everyone and gets worse by the day.
So what are the people we elect and hire today doing to address this our #1 problem? They keep hiring planners and consultants to tell us that we need to get drivers out of their vehicles and walk, bike, bus or shuttle to get to their destinations, an unrealistic dream that defies any practicality.
People capable of driving need and want their vehicles and nothing is going to make them abandon them. Whether commuting to work, using a truck or car for their job or simply having that vehicle available any time they want or need
it, they are going to keep it.
So who and why are those responsible for the welfare of Kauai hiring "experts" to give us answers to our problems that are, at best, a myth? Look at the bike lanes being put along our roads---FOR WHAT when few or anyone ever uses them!! And those lanes are not only impractical for alleviating traffic but by narrowing the street width it limits the vehicle lanes and actually exacerbates the problem.
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| With just one major road on Kaua'i, just one accident can delay traffic for hours |
We have two excellent examples of why adding vehicle lanes and getting more alternate routes will work--facts and not dreams.
The contra-flo lanes have worked well since a wiser mind put them into use. Proving that by adding one more lane, traffic at peak hours will flow better. But at a cost of $3000 a day we have spent millions of dollars over the years using the contra-flo whereas other lanes could have been added for less.
And, the Kapaa bypass road has served as a great example of an alternate route alleviating traffic off Kuhio Highway and it took 9 months to build without an EIS since it was an existing cane haul road, meaning that with proper leadership many or our cane roads could serve the same purpose---facts and not dreams.
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| Traffic at the round about trying to access the Bypass road |
These so called planners, designers and consultants and the people who hired them cannot show us factual proof of another municipality the size and geographical location of Kauai that has eliminated traffic by walking, biking and busing--political games at its worst!!
Shouldn't we be taking a page out of a successful play book like the contra-flo and by pass road instead of wasting time, money and effort on a dream?
P.S.
Check out Glenn's Wikipedia page;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glenn_Mickens
Editor's note, Dakinetalk guest bloggers do not necessarily represent the opinions of dakinetalk. Guest bloggers are given space to express their beliefs and or opinions. We feel there are many roads and like to give people space to express their thoughts,after-all that's what dakine is...
Aloha, James "Kimo" Rosen---Blogger-n-chief, dakinetalk blog---
Kapa'a Voggy Sunrise
From my lanai
A mosquito on the left middle
watches the Sunrise!
i-Phone photo by James "Kimo Rosen
Kimo Rosen has the Traffic situation figured out!
Kauai, the best weather on the planet! Drive the
the bike/Pedestrian trail. That Kimo guy is one smart cookie! ;-)
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2 comments:
As always, Kimo much mahalo for printing my story. And, as usual you make it better and more interesting with your pictures and notes--you are the best! I only wish that my testimonies for 20 years and my articles would have stimulated those in power to AT LEAST TRY SOME OF MY AND OTHER PEOPLES ADVICE THAT HAS MERIT.
It appears that the mindset of this government on Kauai is that if the suggestion or mandate for change did not come from people paid to do the job then the idea or change could not be any good.
I read article after article in the forum section coming from intelligent people that suggests excellent changes from the status quo and yet no one listens!
Well, Kimo, you are certainly doing your job by printing your blog and, it is a shame that those at the top are not at least responding and listening to the ideas being presented to them. When their operations are failing (traffic, low income housing, our solid waste program a total disaster, our homeless people, the horrendous shape our roads are in, NO COUNTY MANAGER and on and on what could they possibly have to lose by listening and changing the wrong way things are being done??? My guess is that by listening (or trying) what non paid people suggest it would make those political hires look bad and, of course , we cannot have that!!!!
There are some good hired people in the County ranks but even when they know that they are being told to do something wrong or there is a problem that needs correcting they do not dare open their mouths for fear of losing their jobs and thus we can never move our Island forward.
Keep up your fine work, Kimo, the people who read your blog certainly enjoy it.
Your pal,
Glenn
Thanks to Glenn and Kimo for all that you do!
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