Mardi Gras in Honolulu is for Foodies. Check it out!

Letters

I choo-choo-choose you

Feb 3, 2010

“We’re lost but we’re making good time.” An old pilot’s joke that perfectly describes today’s transit proposal. It has the wrong compass heading and it will make a forced landing. Hidden agendas may have unconsciously driven its conception, possibly with preconceived ideas. The result is that it forgets the main goal–to solve the massive and growing car gridlock. It cuts residential neighborhoods in half. No wonder the AIA doesn’t like it. It has the wrong route. It should be built over the existing H-1 corridor. The best world-class structural engineers in Hawaii say it’s feasible. Built over H-1 it will easily accommodate a 20 foot high elevated structure. Nobody’s views are hurt and no neighborhoods are cut in half. No eminent domain issues–we own the 120 foot wide right-of-way already. It is simply the best route.

First proposed by us to the city administration in 2008, complete with a large-scale architectural model, faint hearts have rejected this out of hand as not feasible. But trust the professionals, it is. Span the highway with pre-cast, pre-stressed structure. Work from the top while traffic still moves as usual on the ground. As soon as one mile is completed it can immediately be used by traffic with ramps up and down every mile.

Rapid-transit rail can ride on the elevated lanes as soon as the first ten miles are complete. Built 10 lanes wide, there will be room for both cars and trains on top with no conflicts. Photovoltaic panels on each side of the structure will face the wonderful Hawaiian sun to donate power to move electric trains free to all riders, with valuable energy to spare and pay us.

It’s not too late to alter our flight plan. Happy landings!

Art Hansen
AIA, Architect

BOOK & SAVE 10% OFF PUBLISHED FARE only at IFlyGo.com

COMMENTS

We often print online comments in our “Letters to the Editor” section of Honolulu Weekly. While submitted letters are often edited for length and clarity, online comments we use are printed entirely as they are written for the website. If you do not wish for your comment to be used in Honolulu Weekly print issues, please write “Don’t Print” at the end of your comment. For questions, e-mail editorial@honoluluweekly.com. Thank you!

blog comments powered by Disqus

This week

Game Changer

After retiring from public service in 2002, Ben Cayetano seemed to be taking it easy on the political scene–until 2005, that is, when then-Mayor Mufi Hannemann revived the long-lapsed idea of a Honolulu heavy rail project. Needless to say, Cayetano did not concur.

Geo Gold Rush

Last Thursday, the House Committee on Energy and Environmental Protection had a busy session hearing several controversial bills relating to geothermal energy. Chairman Denny Coffman introduced HB2689, which seeks to exempt slim-hole, or exploratory, geothermal test wells from any sort of environmental review as is currently required under Chapter 343 of the Hawaii Revised Statutes.

Stop Stalling

On Feb. 1, the Hawaii State House Agriculture Committee heard testimony on HB2703, dubbed the Food Self-Sufficiency Bill.

Farm Friends

Mega-developer Castle & Cooke has re-filed an application with the Land Use Commission (LUC) seeking to convert approximately 768 acres of Ag land–currently in cultivation–into a “master-planned community” entitled Koa Ridge. If successful, the project will consist of two parcels–Koa Ridge Makai and Castle & Cooke Waiawa.

Civics

Office of Hawaiian Affairs holds a second round of community meetings to discuss the latest updates on the Kakaako land settlement. Stevenson Middle School, 1202 Prospect St., Wed., 2/8, 6:30pm; Waimanalo Community Center, 41-253 Ilauhole St., Thu., 2/9, 6:30pm City Council committees on Zoning and Planningand Transportation will take public testimony on agenda items.

Kinda Hawaii?

[Feb. 1: “Kinda Kona”] The trade secret argument would fall to the wayside if it would read “10 percent Kona Coffee 90 percent Foreign Coffee,” or something to that effect.

Duplicating Crap

If they are choosing the cheapest coffee from anywhere, then the “trade secret” is that they are adding crap and not a sp

No HART

[Feb. 1: “Rail Boss Wanted”] $300,000?

Future Politician?

[Jan. 4: “Boss GMO] Dean Okimoto is a sell out and a criminal.

Oust Monsanto

Monsanto is a major component of the NWO drive to reduce the world’s population in a global genocide program that includes the poisoning of the water, air and food. This criminal activity must be stopped.

Okimoto VS Small Ag

Lets be real here, Dean Okimoto is not interested in anything other then keeping the status quo of industrial Ag. He is merely a puppet, playing it safe, a small game of following the money and corrupt political trail.

Locals Know Best

[Jan. 25: “Weaving the Future on Molokai”] Good luck to all those who possess the ability to balance long-term vision with short term opportunity.

We’re Being Railroaded

[Dec. 21: “Underground Railroad”] This is, indeed, a “lunatic project,” as pointed out by a professor at the University of Hawaii.

Rail = Ego

This is such a bad idea for the overall architecture of Oahu. I visit here because my family is here and part of the charm is taking the bus or driving.

Plain stupid

I cannot imagine how anyone can think this is a smart idea. I’ve lived in places with rail, but this Honolulu Rail Transit is stupid, plain stupid.