Ask the Mayor: Cruise Passengers Jaywalking; Motorcycle Follow-up

Old Kahului Railroad Building. Photo by Wendy Osher.

The mayor answers questions from the public in this series.

By Mayor Alan Arakawa

Q: On cruise ship days (currently Sundays/ Mondays), crew members from the ship are jaywalking across to Maui Mall and back to the harbor by the banyan trees near the turn where Hāna Highway and Kaʻahumanu Avenue meet.

Someone is going to get run over trying to cross over those five lanes of roads— that area by the old Kahului train depot is a really bad place to cross because it has a blind spot.

The jaywalking happens all the time the ship is in, and the passengers from the ship see these crew members crossing at that spot so they try to cross the road too. I see a lot of people stuck in the middle of the road with both lanes of traffic passing them.

Doesn’t the ship tell their employees to use the crosswalk at the stoplight by Longs? Please tag those people before someone gets hit. This is happening in the morning, during the day and also at night. I know because I drive through that area all the time.

Port of Kahului, file photo by Wendy Osher.

A: Thank you for your comments about jaywalking near Kahului Harbor. Our Wailuku Patrol Commander has been informed about this so that MPD’s Community Police Officer in Kahului can work with cruise ship personnel to help inform crew members and visitors, and reduce the number of pedestrians who risk their lives just to save a few steps.

Q: Regarding the question you answered in last week’s column about motorcycles not triggering lights at some intersections: I’ve been told that if the light cycles two times, the rider may proceed through the red light with caution, of course, and common sense. Is this true?

Traffic light, photo by Wendy Osher.

A: According to Maui Police Department, while this is legal in other states, Hawaiʻi State law does not have an exemption for motorcyclists to proceed through a red light. You can buy specialized magnets online that can help trigger the signals; however, before purchasing, consumers should carefully review the feedback from previous buyers as there is no guarantee that the magnet will work at all traffic signals. The magnets are mounted under the bike and send out a magnetic field that gets picked up by the sensors, which detect metal, not a vehicle’s weight.

Want to Ask the Mayor?

Submit your questions about County of Maui programs, services, operations or policies to Mayor Alan Arakawa via email: [email protected], phone: 270-7855 or mail: 200 S. High Street, 9th Floor, Wailuku, Hawaii 96793. Questions submitted will be considered for inclusion in the Ask the Mayor column.