Mahalo for road repairs
I think the state deserves a shoutout for finally fixing the road in front of Coco Palms! Thanks.
Mike Lumahai, Hanalei
Ray McCormick did his job well
Each time I am driving westbound or eastbound on the beautiful two-mile stretch of Kaumualii Highway by Kukui Grove and Kauai Community College, I say a grateful word of mahalo to my friend, Ray McCormick, now a retired state Department of Transportation Highways Division Kauai district engineer, for taking action and not just talk to make our island more friendly for vehicle users and to keep traffic moving. With its off ramps, synchronized signals and multiple lanes, it is indeed a pleasure to travel through that area. This wonderful engineering feat should be implemented in every congested area of Kauai.
Yes, it took millions of dollars to accomplish this wonderful project, but it took someone like Ray McCormick with the vision, experience and will to ramrod it from planning to finish.
Regretfully, Ray has retired but the man he passed the baton to, Larry Dill, showed fine leadership while he was our county engineer.
He has done an excellent job of repaving Kuhio Highway from Coco Palms to the bypass which was in deplorable condition. Hopefully, he will keep the paving going and make sure that Olohena Road is on the top of his “to do” list as this five-mile major artery should never have been neglected and left to deteriorate the way it is.
For those “dreamers” on Kauai who wish to retain the lifestyle of 100 years ago and ignore growth and infrastructure we have today, and (refuse to) allow wise people like Ray McCormick to be our knight on the white horse, to be visionary and not blind folded, I am disappointed.
People will never abandon their vehicles (as I have repeatedly said) so experts like Ray and Larry must have the authority to do what is best for all of us — “unjam” traffic with actions and not just words.
Thank you, Ray McCormick, for all you did for Kauai. We will miss you.
Glenn Mickens, Kapaa
Mr. Mickens.. You have fallen to the pit of “old school” thinking. Your compliments of spreading concrete fits that of those who think the way to fix things is just continue to do the same old thing. To bad you never were able to grasp the concept of planning so we create a better place for our future generations. As for us “dreamers” we are not blowing off infrastructure and growth. Sad That your old closed mind is worth no change for solutions to protecting what Mother Nature has created for all of us.
Yes Glenn .” it is easier to drive in that two mile area(Puhi to Lihue or vice versa) on Kaumualii Highway.”
Only at night it’s dangerous. one can not see the lines that separates the lanes. It need more bright reflectors.
Glen, thought that was going to end in satire but you really in awe that 1980’s traffic engineering had come to Kauai. Yes, a improvement but did we really need a street light every 100 ft? That money should have been used to install smart (car sensing) signals. Waste of time and fuel to sit a red light when there is no cross traffic.