I was disappointed by Peter Hochman’s letter stating that his commute times on King Street have doubled since the installation of the King Street protected bike lane (“Bike lane probably really not so ‘green,’” Star-Advertiser, Oct. 4).

First, that’s way off. Commute times haven’t doubled on King Street. According to city data, travel times along King Street have actually increased by only 6 percent.

But what’s really disappointing about this letter is that it misses the point of the entire project. Soon after it was installed I saw something I had never seen before — a child riding a bike down King Street.

This project isn’t about how many seconds we’re saving or losing. It’s about believing that King Street can be better than just a road for people who want to be somewhere else. And, ultimately, I’m willing to spend 6 percent more of my time to achieve that.

Richard G. Galluzzi
Makiki

UH competitors enjoy ‘Chow Time’

Four years ago, the local press optimistically trumpeted University of Hawaii men’s football coach Norm Chow’s inaugural game with “Chow Time.”

Ironically, the Warriors’ opponents now lick their chops and appropriate our “Chow Time.”

George Nakamura
Mililani

Time lost in traffic hurts isle businesses

Hawaii has been called the “Worst state for business: America’s Paradise Lost” by CNBC.

I’ve been the sole proprietor of a small business on Oahu for 12 years and the biggest drain on productivity is time spent in traffic. My business demographic is in an area where I can’t afford to live, so my storefront is located 34 miles from my home. Recently it took me 1-1/2 hours to drive only six miles along the Leeward coast — and that’s not as uncommon as one might think.

I regularly spend more than 24 hours a week commuting, and I can’t compute the cost to my business (and my sanity) from added nightmares like my recent experience.

The city doesn’t bother to put traffic cams all the way out here, so the daily loss of time and productivity for hundreds of Leeward coast commuters rarely even makes the evening news.

Becky Andrew
Makaha

Fundraiser pleas common in GOP

Don’ t feel sorry for David Shapiro being harassed for campaign contributions by U.S. Sen. Brian Schatz (“Schatz uses false urgency to nag people into donating,” Star-Advertiser, Volcanic Ash, Oct. 4).

He’s got it easy. Try being a Republican: We get it in spades.

All of the GOP presidential candidates are begging for nickels and dimes — these dire messages come daily from Marco Rubio, Ben Carson, Scott Walker, Jeb Bush, Carly Fiorina, John Kasich, Mike Huckabee and other people I have barely heard of.

Donald Trump at least has his own money, though a vote for him is primarily one of protest.

America needs strong, intelligent leaders who can bring us together, not the best beggars for political bucks or the flamboyant rich.

Fred Rohlfing
Downtown Honolulu

Kauai utility rates not highest in U.S.

State Rep. Gene Ward is wrong on several points about Kauai Island Utility Cooperative rates (“Power-generation paradigm must change,” Star-Advertiser, Island Voices, Oct. 4).

KIUC’s rates were 31 cents per kilowatt hour in September, not 55 cents as Ward states. KIUC’s rates have never been that high, so it’s hard to know where he came up with that number, especially since the rates are on our website.

The difference between Kauai and Oahu rates is 14 percent, not 60 percent, as Ward calculates.

Finally, Ward’s guess that Kauai rates are “likely the most expensive in the nation” is incorrect. As a whole, Hawaii is the most expensive state for electricity, but in September, Kauai’s rates were below all but Oahu and Maui.

To suggest, as Ward does, that changing to cooperative ownership of the electric utility on Kauai has had no effect on rates ignores volumes of data that tell a different story.

Jim Kelly
Member services and communications manager, Kauai Island Utility Cooperative

Bus drivers should have passes for sale

Frankie Ruggles’ reply to Ken White’s letter regarding the proposed all-day bus pass ignores the question of where one gets one of the new passes (“All-day bus pass won’t cost more,” Star-Advertiser, Letters, Oct. 2).

If they are not available from the bus drivers and cannot be purchased in advance, each rider likely would have to pay at least $2.50 to get to a place where the pass can be purchased.

The only way to make sure that riders don’t need to pay more than under the current system would be to let them buy them from the bus drivers.

That would mean printing a lot more of each day’s passes to make sure each driver has enough.

Ronald A. Lynch
Moiliili

Developers should be held to promises

Haseko’s $27 million lawsuit loss over changing the development plans from a Ewa marina to a lagoon set an important legal precedent for land developers in Hawaii.

Homeowners should get a contractual agreement from the developer on land and amenity improvements promised.

This should have happened with the Oahu Arts Center that was planned for Castle & Cooke’s Mililani Mauka but replaced with the Meheula Vista development now underway.

This should happen with another one of Castle & Cooke’s soon-to-be Koa Ridge development in the Waipio Gentry area.

Chris Jansen
Mililani