Question: Is it possible to find out when the new park and ride in Wahiawa will open? The lights have been shining brightly for weeks now.
Answer: The $7 million Wahiawa Transit Center and Park and Ride Facility on California Avenue, across from Wahiawa Town Center, is targeted to open in mid-September.
"The transit center is almost complete," said Wayne Yoshioka, director of the city Department of Transportation Services.
"There are a few items being worked on," he said, such as correcting "some imperfections" in the parking deck and inspection of the elevator.
The two-story structure, which began construction in May 2010, has bus bays, a passenger waiting area and elevator.
Buses will load and unload passengers on the ground floor, while the second level will offer 58 parking stalls. The facility has been designed to accommodate up to three additional levels in the future to serve nearby state facilities.
In recognition of Wahiawa’s pineapple past, the facility features a large pineapple graphic on the clock tower and smaller ones decorating the top of the structure.
The one thing not available is a public restroom.
The restrooms at the facility are for bus operators only, so people are "encouraged" to use public restrooms in the adjacent Wahiawa Civic Center, Yoshioka said.
Q: Are trucks allowed to dump sewage down manholes? I have been observing six trucks dumping sewage down a manhole on Kuleana Road, near Kamehameha Highway. These trucks belong to Aqua Pumping, Chemi-Toi and Oahu Pumping Service. I called the city, but I only get a recording.
A: Authorized companies are allowed to discharge waste into certain sewer manholes, as we explained previously: archives.starbulletin.com/2005/07/03/news/kokualine.html.
The manhole you cite is an authorized "liquid waste hauler" discharge site, said Markus Owens, spokesman for the city Department of Environmental Services.
Private liquid waste haulers must obtain permits from the city Department of Environmental Services and the state Department of Health to discharge wastes in approved manholes, he said.
The three wastewater pumpers you cite are permitted to use all seven discharge sites approved by the director of environmental services.
The authorized manhole discharge sites and times, seven days a week, are: on Sand Island Parkway, Ewa of the Coast Guard Station’s main gate (6 a.m. to 11 p.m.); Kailua Road Sewage Pump Station (6 a.m. to 11 p.m.); Kuleana Road, 300 feet mauka of Kamehameha Highway in Pearl City (6 a.m. to 5 p.m.); Honouliuli Wastewater Treatment Plant, fronting the influent pump station (6 a.m. to 5:45 p.m.); ocean side of Farrington Highway, 30 yards Ewa of the Kaukama Road intersection in Waianae (6 a.m. to 11 p.m.); sewage septage facility at the Kahuku Wastewater treatment plant (7 a.m. to 3 p.m.); and Kaneohe Preliminary Treatment Facility (5 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.).
MAHALO
To a very kind lady at Ala Moana Beach Park Sunday morning, Aug. 14. I had just returned to my car after swimming and was looking for my wallet when you walked up and said, "Here you go," handing over my wallet. You caught me off guard, saying you found it on the ground behind my car. I thanked you, looking to make sure it was mine and when I looked back up, you were gone! I never had a chance to get your name or thank you properly. I have traveled to many places around the world and chances are this can and does only happen here. Lucky we live Hawaii. — Wayne K.
Write to "Kokua Line" at Honolulu Star-Advertiser, 7 Waterfront Plaza, Suite 210, 500 Ala Moana Blvd., Honolulu 96813; call 529-4773; fax 529-4750; or email kokualine@staradvertiser.com.
