Question: Regarding the red-light cameras that also catch speeders, what is the threshold over the speed limit at which a warning will be issued? Is it 5 mph? 11 mph? Or some other number? There has been conflicting information out there.
Answer: 11 mph, although that doesn’t mean it’s safe to speed at all, a state Department of Transportation spokesperson emphasized. State law authorizes enforcement at 5 mph over the speed limit at the 10 Honolulu intersections with camera systems, and the DOT previously announced that warnings would be issued at that level. It switched gears after its baseline studies found so many speeders that enforcement at 5 mph threatened to swamp the Judiciary, which administers traffic tickets.
“While the term ‘threshold’ continues to be used when speaking about speeding, we want to ask all drivers to reframe the way they think about speeding,” DOT spokesperson Shelly Kunishige said in an email. “Speed limits are set based on the design characteristics of roads including surrounding land use. The current safety camera system sites are in areas with posted speeds that run between 25 to 35 mph. Under the law the allowable variance at the speed safety camera locations is 5 mph over the posted speed limit. As we were gathering initial data we decided to send warnings to the registered owners of vehicles going 11 mph over the posted speed limit. This does not mean that going 5 to 10 mph over the posted speed limits is OK, just that they will not receive warnings through our system.”
The warning period began March 1, although warning letters for infractions from that date forward did not begin printing until March 21, she said. The warning period is expected to run through October, extended from the end-of-April date originally announced. Tickets won’t be issued until after the warning period ends, which will be publicized.
The warning level is expected to remain consistent for the duration of the warning period, notifying by mail the owners of vehicles recorded going 11 mph or more over the posted speed limit at intersections with the safety cameras, Kunishige said.
The DOT’s studies found that the average number of vehicles going 5 mph over the speed limit in one week is 72,000, while the average number of vehicles going 11 mph over the limit in one week is 18,000.
“We are working with our partners to set manageable program parameters that will meet the goal of reducing speeding on Hawaii roads,” Kunishige said.
Automated speed enforcement occurs at the same Honolulu intersections that issue camera- generated tickets (not warnings) for red-light running: Vineyard Boulevard and Palama Street, Vineyard Boulevard and Liliha Street, Vineyard Boulevard and Nuuanu Avenue, Pali Highway and Vineyard Boulevard, Pali Highway and North School Street, Likelike Highway and North School Street, Ward Avenue and South King Street, Kapiolani Boulevard and Kamakee Street, South Beretania Street and Piikoi Street, and McCully Street and Algaroba Street.
Q: Do you know of anyone I can call who repairs bicycles and donates them to homeless or low-income children or adults? I have called Aloha United Way and Helping Hands, but they were unable to help me. I hate to throw them in the dump, if they could be fixed. Thanks for any leads you can provide.
A: Have you tried KVIBE, the Kalihi Valley Instructional Bike Exchange? It accepts donated bikes for youth to learn how to repair, refurbish and ride. You can find more information on the KVIBE website, kkv.net/kvibe, or by calling 808-843-1545 or 808-291-7613.
Mahalo
I want to thank the person or persons who paid my breakfast bill Monday at Anna Miller’s. I really appreciate it very much. Thank you very much from a grateful senior citizen. — Mahalo, Dennis
Write to Kokua Line at Honolulu Star-Advertiser, 500 Ala Moana Blvd., Suite 2-200, Honolulu, HI 96813; call 808-529-4773; or email kokualine@staradvertiser.com.
