Central and West Oahu neighborhood board members have banded together to help address traffic issues and plan to present their ideas to state, city and federal officials in hopes of improving congestion on the H-1 and H-2 freeways and along major thoroughfares.

Representatives from five boards — Pearl City, Ewa, Wahiawa/Whitmore Village, Makakilo/Kapolei/Honokai Hale and Nanakuli/Maili — held their first meeting Tuesday at Kapolei Hale, discussing traffic mitigation ideas such as synchronizing traffic lights, widening roads, adding bus lanes, increasing Freeway Service Patrol operations and stepping up enforcement on uninsured cars.

Calling on businesses and government offices to adjust work hours, and the out-of-the-box idea to build another freeway from Waianae to downtown were also discussed. The group hopes to meet and discuss the ideas with officials in the next two months.

Larry Veray, Pearl City Neighborhood Board chairman, said the transportation group hopes to hold another meeting in March with government officials and recruit representatives from other neighborhood boards.

“We know that the strength is in numbers,” Veray said. “This is a grass-roots community neighborhood board movement. It’s for all the transportation issues that we can brainstorm. The main priority is to work for the traffic in West Oahu.”

The effort comes amid ongoing frustrations and concerns by residents over traffic gridlock. In the past year the state Department of Transportation has, among other things, opened a 2-mile stretch of the H-1 freeway’s eastbound shoulder lane from Kualakai Parkway to the Kunia/Waipahu/Ewa offramp; widened the Zipper Lane to fit two lanes of traffic; and set up a contraflow lane on Farrington Highway in Nanakuli.

DOT spokesman Tim Sakahara said in an email that officials “will continue to be responsive to neighborhood board committee recommendations, questions and inquiries.”

Jon Nouchi, city Transportation Services’ deputy director, said in a statement that officials would be happy to participate in the group’s meetings. “I believe this interaction will be beneficial to all and can help inform and prioritize future traffic mitigation work in the City and County of Honolulu,” Nouchi said.

Dean Capelouto, Makakilo/Kapolei/Honokai Hale Neighborhood Board member, said traffic woes have impacted residents’ quality of life, adding that in addition to the freeways, several thoroughfares such as Farrington Highway, Fort Weaver Road and Makakilo Drive are also congested.

“I’m getting up earlier and earlier and seeing more cars,” Capelouto said. “I’m thinking that I’m going to get ahead of the rat race out there (but) I’m actually in the same place as everyone else.”