Traffic Safety on Laukahi Street

On March 14, 2025, the WIRCA Board of Directors emailed information to homeowners on Waiʻalae Iki Ridge (below the gate) regarding two proposed solutions for speed control on Laukahi Street.

There are two substantial measures DTS found feasible, historically effective (elsewhere) and now projected for implementation in Waiʻalae Iki. These measures are to be planned, installed and maintained by the City & County of Honolulu, as roadways and infrastructure under their cognizance:

1. Two speed “humps” installed horizontally across Laukahi St.
2. Raised Pavement Markers (RPMs) on the painted bike lane markings along most of the length of Laukahi St., with vertical “traffic delineators” installed at each corner of intersections with streets entering Laukahi St. along its length.

Homeowners were asked to provide questions/comments to the proposal by April 14, 2025. This page summarizes those comments and questions, along with commentary from WIRCA. If you would like to make a comment, please email us at info@wirca.org with the subject line: Traffic Safety on Laukahi.

Respondersʻ queries and comments are compiled below the images, in order of receipt. We will continue to update this page as new comments come in.

Click here to read the March 14, 2025 email message.

The images below can be clicked to enlarge.

Comments are listed in the order they were received.

Comment:

Mahalo nui loa WIRCA Board for the thorough work in getting this accomplished. I hope it will help slow down the traffic.

With aloha, Roger Epstein (50 year WIR resident)

WIRCA Response:

Mahalo, Roger. Itʻs taken time and patience so far, with genuine engagement and kokua from our City Council and C&Cʻs Dept of Transportation Services, Engineering Division. Theyʻve developed a responsive plan to implement measures shown to be effective in similar situations, and are set to proceed with the resources to do so.

Comment:

Thanks for this information. I inherited 1547 Laukahi Street from my late mother and stepfather, Sharon and Griffith Conradt. When Griff bought the lot and built the house, he picked the lot because it was the last parcel which meant no traffic. There was a park across the street and an amazing Diamond Head view. Of course now Laukahi goes up to the top and developments along with it, and it is a speed raceway, so I appreciate this plan. We have had at least two vehicles parked on the curb in front of 1547 Laukahi hit by other cars in the past 60 years. When you are heading up the hill at “Pau Hana” time on Laukahi, you are blinded by the sun as you proceed up Laukahi. Can you let me know what house number will be aligned with the speed hump? I’m where it levels off, but we also have a lot of sightseers that park on the makai side of Laukahi across from 1547 Laukahi. For homeowners backing out of their driveways (my neighbors Lilly and Herman) you have to be very cautious. Yes, we see the speed racers coming down as well as coming up. It’s dangerous. I would suggest that we have a meeting sooner rather than later with models so that we can have an opportunity to see a 3D version. I would also ask that we use the word SLOW rather than HUMP. I know what a Hump is and we all also know the jokes that people make about the word. SLOW is a word we all know and understand. Thanks.’

Kerrie Lane Woodall

WIRCA Response:

Mahalo, Kerrie.  

1. The two intended speed hump locations are shown on the street drawings, included in the notification email (and copied below).  The lower location is between 1366 and 1374 Laukahi St.; the upper between 1516 and 1522 Laukahi St.  Exact placement within those locations will be determined and coordinated directly by the City & Countyʻs Dept of Transportation Services (DTS), Engineering Division at the time of installation (projected in 12-18 months).
2. There is not an in-person meeting or 3D model depiction intended.  The March 14 published announcement with attached, detailed DTS engineering drawings shows the intended locations.  The ongoing 30 day comment interval provides opportunity for clarification to individualsʻ conceptions and concerns regarding the implementation plan and schedule.
3. The civil engineering and commonly used terminology for the two speed inhibitors to be installed is “Speed Hump” – not a term originated by WIRCA, and a term commonly understood and used by the general public.

Comment:

This sounds great. Speaking of Ihiloa Loop, is there a way we can petition someone so that only one side of the street is available to street parking? When cars park on both sides of Ihiloa Loop, this creates a very dangerous one-way lane.

Thank you.  Gene Horita

WIRCA Response:

Mahalo, Gene.

This WIRCA Board-coordinated request, engineered study and prioritized response were confined to Laukahi St., as the principal artery of traffic through our neighborhood. Concerns about other streets and roadway conditions should be addressed by individuals concerned, to C&C of Honolulu via established, due process. There are two such avenues with which to register, both accessible on line.

1. The first is to contact the City via their “Report a Concern” web page. There you will find a multi-purpose complaint form, via which to register your concern as a matter under C & C of Honoluluʻs jurisdiction. C & C will sort, review and respond to your request.
2. Alternatively, ʻHonolulu 311” which will take you to a fairly well organized set of options to report your concern and gain a response.
   1. The 311 option may better serve anyone who has a query, as the expressed concern is routed to the affected C&C department, rather than passing through a C&C central sorting node. Additionally, Honolulu 311 is available as an app, which you may install on your web capable devices to expedite ready access and use.

Comment:

A few initial comments – could we consider trying the mitigation methods in steps/trial phases?? Ie maybe the humps first (knowing of course that the lower laukahi ones would have to wait for repaving to be completed) and maybe only one or two small areas for payment markers to test and evaluate. I have a real aversion to the vertical delineators —take a look a the ones recently installed b y Kilauea on ramp to kalanianaole hwy—they already look in significant disrepair and a couple are already down. These would be a nightmare en masse on our hill.

Scott Rolles

WIRCA Response:

Mahalo, Scott.

The two mitigation measures will be sequenced by complexity of coordination for DTS to install.  RPMs and delineators are therefore sequenced first, since the speed humps will take longer to coordinate with other roadway construction activities.  The delineators have been installed and maintained successfully in multiple locations comparable to Laukahi Streetʻs situation and principal thoroughfare profile — on island, state- and nation-wide —  showing noticeable effectiveness in reducing speeds and flows.  While some delineators are expected to become “casualties”, DTS anticipates fairly ready restorations when required.

Comment:

The proposals look good.  I feel that the most dangerous speeding occurs in the 1700 block of Laukahi St.(say from Kihi St./Laukahi Place intersection with Laukahi St. and the bend before the cactus park).  A number of downhill drivers accelerate through this straight section of the road.  A speed hump in this area would help with the residents that are not responsible enough to drive within the posted speed….or even the normal/average speed.

John Zabriskie

WIRCA Response:

Mahalo, John.

Your sense is consistent with most observations and with the historic incidence and severity of collisions on Laukahi. Speed hump installation is procedurally restricted, however, to stretches of roadway with less than 8 degrees of inclination/descent. On our aggressively inclined street, DTS is limited to just those two locations which meet the criteria for installation. DTS does anticipate noticeable effectiveness of those two humps in the allowable locations, so therefore included them in the combined set of measures developed to update our streetʻs engineering to better meet traffic and safety conditions in the mid-21st century.

Comment:

Aloha! I appreciate the Board’s efforts to reduce speeding. There is definitely a need for humps – could use one higher up on Laukahi too – we live at 1845 Laukahi and see a lot of speeders (cars & motorcycles) racing up to the gate. I am less clear about the value of delineators at intersections – seems like a lot of maintenance without a significant benefit. Mahalo!

Virginia S. Hinshaw Chancellor Emerita University of Hawai’i Mānoa

WIRCA Response:

Mahalo, Virginia.

See the reply above, referring to gradient restrictions on speed hump locations.  Both points on our roadway which meet those constraints are planned for implementation.

The delineators and RPMs have also shown substantial effectiveness in better controlling speeds and flows of traffic, in multiple locations where theyʻve been installed. We look forward to combined improvements in our traffic flows and personnel safety in the coming months as these measures take effect.

Comment:

Any chance we can get Laukahi Street repaved all the way down to Kalaniana’ole before they install all these “Improvements”.

I hope Nan Inc. is held responsible for repaving the whole road from right above Kamole to the bottom and not getting away with just patching back their trench. Road is in bad shape after those guys left it a mess.

Please tell me someone will be paving during the improvement plan. No reason to install delineators and RPMs on old crumbling asphalt.

Sean McFadden

WIRCA Response:

Mahalo, Sean.

Yes.  C & C of Honolulu, Dept of Transportation Services (DTS) engineers and coordinates all paving and maintenance for C & C roadways.   The initiatives DTS developed for Laukahi St. will be implemented in coordination with the ongoing paving plan that DTS administers.

Comment:

I am very much in favor of the speed bumps. I think they are the most effective deterrent for speeding.  I would add also consider adding speed bumps higher on the hill as well.  Often, as I turn onto Laukahi when traffic is clear and no cars are seen coming, speeding cars very quickly appear even before I can start to accelerate and tail me down the hill.

Michael Ling

WIRCA Response:

Mahalo, Michael.

DTS Engineers also endorse the speed humps, as a control innovation which has proven measurably effective in multiple locations similar to ours.  However, speed humps are constrained by engineering limitation to sections of roadway with less than 8 degrees of inclination/descent.  The upper section of Laukahi St. you describe exceeds 8 degrees.  There are just two sections of Laukahi St. compatible with speed hump gradient limits; both are designated for speed humps to be installed.