w Editor’s note: Old-timers might still remember the introduction from “The Shadow” radio program: “Who knows what evil lurks in the hearts of men? The Shadow knows!” Jerome Freitas, a retired state Department of Transportation worker who is now better known as Da Shadow, since 2004 has been meeting with government representatives about problems he has discovered or that have been reported to him, and reporting the county’s responses.
Kapaa
Are there any plans to improve the lighting near the Kauai Bus hub at the Bryan J. Baptiste Sports Complex?
The safety of our riders and the community is very important for the County of Kauai. With the invaluable help of Mayor Bernard Carvalho, Transportation Agency Executive Celia Mahikoa, and William Trugillo of the Parks and Recreation Department, the County of Kauai does have plans to improve all transit accommodations at the Bryan J. Baptiste Sports Complex.
The improvements will include two large transit shelters, with lighting, seating, bike racks and trash facilities. The county will also be improving access to and from the park facility to the bus stop, improving the safety of the parking/bus waiting areas for the park users, bus riders and the buses themselves. The work will be done as part of the Islandwide Bus Stop Redevelopment Project, Phase IV work. This phase of work is currently scheduled to begin in November.
Islandwide
Does the county or state have any laws on jaywalking? Does the Kauai Police Department actively enforce jaywalking laws?
According to HRS §291C-73 Crossing at other than crosswalks.
(a) Every pedestrian crossing a roadway at any point other than within a marked crosswalk or within an unmarked crosswalk at an intersection shall yield the right-of-way to all vehicles upon the roadway.
(b) Any pedestrian crossing a roadway at a point where a pedestrian tunnel or overhead pedestrian crossing has been provided shall yield the right-of-way to all vehicles upon the roadway.
(c) Between adjacent intersections at which traffic-control signals are in operation, pedestrians shall not cross at any place except in a marked crosswalk.
(d) No pedestrian shall cross a roadway intersection diagonally unless authorized by official traffic-control devices; and, when authorized to cross diagonally, pedestrians shall cross only in accordance with the official traffic-control devices pertaining to the crossing movements.
(e) Every person who violates this section shall be fined $100. [L 1971, c 150, pt of §1; am L 2007, c 125, §2]
The Kauai Police Department actively enforces Hawaii state jaywalking laws.
Kilauea
There is a large pothole on Kapuna Road. Can the county please look into filling this pothole that has been there for quite some time?
After inspecting Kapuna Road, the Roads Division crew did not see a pothole. However, please provide a specific location or a landmark by the vicinity of the pothole, so the Roads Division Crew can follow up.
••• Jerome Freitas can be reached at theshadow96751@gmail.com or 635-3528. Visit his website at http://theshadow96746.tripod.com.
