I always thought the directional designation of highways was based on the starting and ending points of the highway, no matter how you got there. No science to determining
a highway's directionI also thought that going from the south side of Oahu to the Windward side was going north.
The Pali and Likelike highways are designated north-south, but the H-3 is designated east-west.
Also, since Kamehameha Highway on the Windward side is already designated east-west, it seems that H-3 north-south is more appropriate. Other curiosities: Kamehameha Highway, between Pali Highway and Mokulele Drive, is designated north-south, but there are no directional signs on Kalanianaole Highway.
Would that be north-south? I am not a traffic or highway engineer, and I know nothing about these things. I am just curious.
It took a while to get the answer, especially since there is "nothing in writing that tells people how to do it," said Marilyn Kali, spokeswoman for the state Department of Transportation.
But she finally tracked down a traffic engineer, who said he was taught by "his boss many, many years ago" how to determine direction.
"You take a map and you put a ruler at the beginning of the highway and at the end of the highway. And if the ruler is more east-west, than you name the highway East-West; if it's more north-south, you name it North-South," Kali said.
"In the case of the H-3, with the start being Halawa and the destination being the Marine base, when you put a ruler on that, it is much more east-west than it is north-south."
Doing the same thing with the Pali and Likelike resulted in those roadways being designated north-south, she said.
"I'm not sure this is scientific, but there is no precedence for it and there aren't that many new highways (here) either," Kali said.
If you applied the same measure to Kalanianaole, it would probably be designated east-west.
Why did the city change the vehicle registration to a new system? I mailed my registration in with a November expiration date. They sent my new registration back, saying I don't have to put the sticker on the license plate. Isn't that going to be a problem keeping track of people without insurance? Also, the sticker they sent is for October. Why am I going backward? Next year, will my October sticker be for September? Your complaints are a puzzler, because neither is true, according to David Mau, city assistant licensing administrator.
The vehicle registration procedure has not been changed and the registration emblem still must be affixed to your rear license plate, he said. Also, Mau said the registration sticker month, if you're current on your payment, "will always remain the same."
Call the city Motor Vehicle Licensing Division, 532-4325, if you have more questions.
To the man driving a van who was tailgating me as I was driving home Dec. 11. I got out of my car and asked if he had a problem, and he said he had his blinker on and I wouldn't let him in. A female companion on a cellular phone kept laughing and seemed quite proud of the driver harassing a disabled senior citizen. Auwe
To Chris, who showed me how to use the self-service pump at Unocal at Beretania/Ward. -- L. Ing. Mahalo
To whoever took a tiny black bag I dropped Dec. 10 at Kam Drive-In. The person who picked it up didn't have the courtesy to tap me on my shoulder to say I dropped it. They just picked it up and went away. How awful, especially during the Christmas season. Remember, what goes around, comes around. Auwe
