Hawaii should learn from the recent tragedy of a teenager who died after being struck by a vehicle on Kapiolani Boulevard (“Officials reveal plans to improve traffic, pedestrian safety,” Star-Advertiser, Feb. 23). The Legislature should pass Senate Bill 1506 and Senate Bill 1535 to make streets safer, and expand funding for the Safe Routes to School program.
Traffic fatalities are a leading cause of death for children ages 18 and younger in Hawaii. Safety needs to become a greater priority for road laws and design.
As keiki growing up on Oahu without a car, my sister and I had the privilege of walking to school with my mom or kupuna, my grandparents. My family benefited from the exercise. We enjoyed countless conversations together, with me and my sister learning from the wisdom of my grandparents or simply enjoying each other’s presence.
The commute was slower, yes, but it meant more quality time as ohana. If it rained, we had umbrellas and jackets ready. As a child it helped me expend excess energy and focus at school, along with making the chubby local boy I was less chubby.
From the pandemic we have learned people like having open and safe places to walk and bicycle.
For those who think that the Safe Routes to School program does not matter to them, as they may not have young children, or drive their families around, or do not travel during rush hour: Safer streets benefit everyone.
Years ago, I worked for a state legislator, who received complaints about children being hit by cars near McKinley High School. In his very limited capacity — not being the chair of a transportation committee or money committee — he would write letters to the director of city transportation services asking for a signalized crosswalk. The standard reply would be that a traffic study showed that a signalized crosswalk would negatively impact traffic.
I didn’t think much about these events until it finally caught up to my family. My 24-year-old sister, Emelia Hung, while not a child but still very young, died trying to cross Kapiolani Boulevard near McKinley High School in 2013. In recent years, after Emelia’s passing, a signalized crosswalk was added on King Street, mid-block, by McKinley High School.
As the most recent tragedy shows, this work is largely left undone. More signalized crosswalks need to be added on Kapiolani Boulevard on the opposite side by McKinley High School. In that area, trees need to be trimmed regularly so they don’t block out street lights at night; alternatively, lights need to be brighter to shine through the trees while not blinding drivers.
If I could imagine the impact that these simple changes on infrastructure and policy would have had on everyone, I would have advocated for them sooner. In the long run, the mindset on transportation needs to change. I would be horrified if any of the children of my cousins or friends died walking or bicycling, or as passengers in cars. Most people have children in their lives, their own or their family members and friends’ children. Making it safer and more comfortable to walk and bike to school would encourage more to do so, meaning fewer cars on the road, making it safer for everyone.
State lawmakers need to pass SB 1506 and SB 1535, and expand funding for the Safe Routes to School program. Recent tragedies have shown these changes are long overdue. A society should focus on protecting its most vulnerable.
Anthony Chang is an advocate for safe streets. He holds a master’s degree in urban and regional planning from University of Hawaii at Manoa with a focus on transportation infrastructure, statistics and history.
