LETTER: Parent Concerned About Pedestrian & Bicycle Safety Near New Kīhei School

Kīhei Charter School will open its new–12 campus tomorrow, Oct. 23, 2018, serving almost 600 students. The new facility is located in the Maui Research and Technology park near the Maui Brewing Company. The open house will be held on Oct. 22 from 3:30 to 5:30 pm

We are thrilled with the opening of the new campus and give many thanks to Gene and Cheryl Zarro and many others for years of  personal sacrifice enabling this campus come to fruition.

As a mother of four children who walk and bike to school, I am concerned about pedestrian and bicycle safety to the new school. The principal and I have contacted the Maui Police Department, and they refuse to place a crossing guard at the intersection to our school. They claim that because Pi‘ilani Highway is a state highway, they do not have jurisdiction over it. That has not stopped them from ticketing motorists on the same highway.

Last week, a motorcycle officer from the MPD was hit is a collision at this very intersection. What will it take to wake up our police department to the safety of our children?

Likewise, South Maui Councilmember Kelly King, when I contacted her at a Community Association meeting and via email, said she thought this was an important issue and hoped I would find someone else to help with it, but claimed she could do nothing.

Only Don Couch at the Mayor’s Office has been helpful by putting into the county budget new sidewalks leading up the road to the school.

MPD, County Council, please wake up!

This is your responsibility. Child safety to and from school should be everyone’s first priority.