Ask the Mayor: Can Bright Plastic Traffic Dividers be Added Under Wailuku Bridge?

Mayor Alan Arakawa answers some of the questions submitted to his staff.

Wailuku bridge. File photo by Wendy Osher.

Submit your own questions about County of Maui programs, services, operations or policies to Mayor Alan Arakawa at AskTheMayor@mauicounty.gov, 270-7855 or mail them to 200 S. High St., 9th Floor, Wailuku, HI 96793.

Questions submitted will be considered for inclusion in the “Ask the Mayor” column.

Dear Mayor Arakawa,

Q: Would it be possible to have those bright plastic traffic dividers installed under Wailuku Bridge where Main Street turns into Kaʻahumanu Avenue (heading toward Kahului)? Vehicles are constantly driving far onto the shoulder because they are too lazy to follow the newly-paved curve in the road. This creates an extremely unsafe situation by driving on the shoulder area allotted for pedestrians and people on bicycles, skateboards, and even parents pushing strollers. I’ve seen too many close calls – it’s a fatal accident waiting to happen.

A: One of my staff members called the State DOT Highways Office on Maui about this dangerous situation, which was created when the road was slightly realigned when it was reconstructed. The suggestion to install plastic traffic dividers along the shoulder of the curved portion of this roadway will be passed along to their engineers for consideration.