Letters

One day rail system will be part landscape After statehood, developers flocked to Waikiki to put up high rises replacing the mostly one-story buildings.

[L_Sherrod SFC Retired]

Yep! Just what Hawaii needs. Turn Turtle Bay into a mental hospital. See what you get when the government runs something.

If you want to know if rail works; look at Disney World. They move a heck-a-lot of people very efficiently. Florida has salt air also.

[John W Bienko]

MASS TRANSIT and STEEL RAIL should be replaced with a major paradigm shift in city planning.
I would counsel a completely new development plan. It would be substantively better for the well-being of humans to build LIVE-WORK-PLAY suburban city centers which would eliminate the need for expensive, time-wasting, resource-wasting MASS TRANSIT and STEEL RAIL.

[willie]

Ummm isn't Disney's rail system a monorail? I don't think it is steel on steel so your point is well taken, use what Uncle Wally is using in Florida.

[kitty]

John W Bienko wrote:

MASS TRANSIT and STEEL RAIL should be replaced with a major paradigm shift in city planning.
I would counsel a completely new development plan. It would be substantively better for the well-being of humans to build LIVE-WORK-PLAY suburban city centers which would eliminate the need for expensive, time-wasting, resource-wasting MASS TRANSIT and STEEL RAIL.

Sounds like TOD to me.

[Waianae Resident]

Elaine Hoffman: Do you really think all the homeless people need are showers and toilets? Have you even been around homeless? Being from Waianae, I know for a fact you will also need security, drug treatment centers and job training facilities. It will cost a LOT more than you think. Thinking that these people only need some TLC and a foot in the right direction is sweet, but unrealistic.

[Hapa Hawaiian]

I think Elaine Hoffman's message was misinterpreted, she was really banging on the Dog Park not an overall solution to Homelessness. Carl Weathers- Idiot.

Why should we waste money on frivolous parks that don't move our society forward, but instead provide a place for dogs to poop and their owners to pick it up- Silly.

It does take a monumentous effort to turn the fortunes of the homeless, but a step in the right direction can be using the funds from future dog parks to job training facilities. You can only help who wants to be helped, and you don't need a park for that.

[WestKauai]

I rarely leave Kauai, but just returned from a visit to Honolulu. I was appalled at the number of homeless in Ala Moana Park and elsewhere. Maybe it makes sense to provide parks exclusively for the homeless, since so many will not use the available shelters. Think "Taylor Camp" on Kauai in the 70's...

[Kailuaresident]

Boy, San Fran, Japan, and SIngapore all have steel rails near oceans. They dont rust at a higher rate!
Aloha staduim was built using inferior materials. For 3 bill, we better build rail out of grade A material!
I hope evryone who thinks about singing that petition realizes it doesn't just kill this rail project, but any future proposals. It dooms us to be auto-centric forever...

[Stan]

I wonder if Disney would build a rail system that linked Waikiki, UH, and Ala Moana? Perhaps even run a Disney train all the way out to their new hotel?
Do you think if the state and city gave Disney tax breaks, right aways, and the right to charge money for people to ride....???

An alternate form of transportation for Hawaii at no cost to the tax payer???? I wonder if Disndy would consider it.

[Kirkland]

Oahu has a very small tax base unlike San Francisco or Japan and just simply cannot afford the billions and billions needed to build and maintain a rail transit system. But Oahu can afford alternatives other than rail which would be billions and billions less expensive.

[Vincent Eblacas]

Getting the homeless off the street will have to involve more than just relocating them. Without providing them training and incentive to improve and in many cases treatment they will never be able change their homeless lifestyle. I grew up in Waianae and know how easy it is to get caught up in the homeless lifestyle trap. I have been fortunate enough that my education, values and family have allowed me to become as successful as I am. while not rich, I do have all of my needs fulfilled and I can sleep at night knowing I have done honest work for honest money.

[N Shore]

I see you live in town Elaine. Can the homeless camp in your Hawaii Kai or Kahala parks as well? Can we dump the mentally ill next door to you too? There are not many people using those parks so let's put them to better use than just for you walking your bichon frise. Love your suggestions. You are so smart. I can see you are very concerned about your fellow man.

I left to wonder why so many people are provided a public platform by way of having their ignorant letters to the editor printed.

[John W Bienko]

kitty wrote:

<quoted text>
Sounds like TOD to me.

Please advise me as to what TOD means. I'm on a steep learning curve. Thanks

[Gordon -Doc-Smith]

Why would anyone care what people, who are afraid to use their own name in an opinion forum , have to say ?
I know I don't.

[Gordon -Doc-Smith]

Now as to the " homeless". Some of them are actually homeless due to cercumstances beyond their control. These people would appreciate a place to use in door toilet facilities and a shower so that they could go out to find / look for a job. Then there ae those who actually like being homeless, I know, I've talked to them. They don't want any rules in thier lives. But they also might like to be able to take a shower and use in door toilet facilities. Then there are the mentally unstable , who should be in mental institutions, but the " Do Gooders" log ago decided that he People could not unilaterally place these people in institutions . Where by the way they would have received treatment , health care, etc.
So encampments wit fences and facilities would be an actual good way to help those among us that are unfortunate enough to be "Homeless".

[Rusty]

If Roger Hu would like data on how steel attracts rust in a salt air environment, I'd think he'd remember that more trains ply the two Mainland coasts - Mexico to Canada along tha Pacific Coast, and Miami to Maine on the Eastern seaboard, than most local high school graduates can count up to. Rust simply isn't a problem when the right recipe is followed in manufacturing the steel.

[TrafficSolutionN eeded]

Kailuaresident wrote:

Boy, San Fran, Japan, and SIngapore all have steel rails near oceans.
I hope evryone who thinks about singing that petition realizes it doesn't just kill this rail project, but any future proposals. It dooms us to be auto-centric forever...

Kailuaresident, we all know you are PRO-RAIL.
What happened to the freedom of our choice?
What if many choose to drive and not ride the train?
What if people choose to ride the bus only?(The rail line is not near their home)

If steel on steel rail does die, future proposals will be better than the multi-billion dollar mess on the table now.

SF, Japan, & Singapore have HUGH population bases to pay for trains.

We don't!
The Oahu/Honolulu population is only around 900,000 local residents.

-San Fran has a population of over 3,645,7549 million.

-Japan was over 17,400,000 million in population as of April 2007.

-Singapore population= over 4,480,000 million.

I suggest we remove ALL the H1/H2 bottlenecks first near all merge points (Ft Shafter, Middle st. merge, LikeLike merge, Pali to Punahou merge, ect...)

This will costs millions,(not multi-billions), but will relieve TRAFFIC CONGESTION on the H1 freeway.
Building a train that current bus riders MIGHT use will not help, it just empties the buses and adds lower ridership numbers for the tied in bus system that will struggle.

Let the public vote in November on the transit issue first. Maybe we should fix the H1 bottlenecks first.
The majority will decide.

[Seattleite]

Seattle tried to make 'homeless' parks. But they just trashed them, used drugs, drank booze and made a mess. Dogs only make a mess and their owner usually cleans that up. Big difference between homeless and dogs. I would rather make a dog park any day.

In fact Seattle bought a whole apartment building and housed hundreds of street alchoholics. They could drink when ever they wanted. This got them off the street. Worked much better than a drunk park.

[Brrr]

Decent societies don't come cheap. You get the society you pay for.

[willie]

Ship all the homeless to Kauai on the Super Ferry then don't run it there again. Do it in the dead of the night, no warning just pop in, unload and leave. Problem for Oahu solved.

Why is it every time a story is written about the government spending money the goody two shoes come out of the wood work and want that money spent on another failed social program? Here is a message for you, they can not really afford EITHER program.