Richard Turbin’s opinion on “poorly planned bike lanes” points out the congestion on Alakea Street backing up the parking garage exits, but he mischaracterizes the Ala Wai Boulevard and Kilauea Avenue situations.

The bike lane on Ala Wai Boulevard is not “seldom used”; there are many users, including tourists and locals on Biki bikes. The segments of Ala Wai that need bike safety improvement are from Keoniana Street west to where two traffic lanes turn right onto McCully, and from there to Kalakaua. Motorists are typically driving fast and jockeying between lanes. They do not heed the “shared car/bicycle” lane marking. It is so dangerous that many bicyclists move up onto the sidewalk at the point the marked bike lane terminates.

Creating a new bike lane may seem excessive to Mr. Turbin, but he does not propose any alternatives to alert motorists and protect bicyclists. Speed bumps? Flashing lights?

Parts of Kilauea Avenue are similarly dangerous during heavy traffic. Well-marked separate bicycle lanes help drivers and protect bicyclists.

Karl Moskowitz

Hawaii Kai

>> Contact: 529-4831 (phone), letters@staradvertiser.com, staradvertiser.com/editorial/submit-letter