Prevention is the way to go
Prevention is the way to go
I am writing this article with gratitude in my heart that tonight my husband and myself were able to arrive home safe after a moment that could had been a tragedy.
We were coming from Lihue at night, driving through the Tree Tunnel and suddenly two little pigs crossed in front of our car. My husband didn’t have the time to avoid them. We hit them.
No cars were behind us. I was grateful for that.
I came come with my heart broken and with the resolution to write this letter as a way to plant a seed as prevention of accidents in the Tree Tunnel. There are some ideas that came to my mind:
1 — Speed limit is 50 mph in an area where pigs circulate day and night. Many people don’t even respect this speed limit, locals and tourists.
2 — There is not a single sign for tourists to be aware what is happening in that area. Most of us who live here long enough have witnessed how these animals come and go freely around that area.
3 — There must be more ideas for solutions for this problem. I just leave it to the Department of Transportation or whoever is in charge of the Tree Tunnel to protect the Kauai ohana and the pigs that are part of our island.
I believe that “where there is a will, there is way.” I am extending an invitation to reflect about it and speak up so we can all enjoy Maluhia Road (the Hawaiian name of the Tree Tunnel that means “peace”) without hurting any single soul.
Ximena Hoffman, Poipu
