Electronic road signs turn off some Windward residents

Rep. Thielen says they remind her of those on the Los Angeles freeways

By Gordon Y.K. Pang
Star-Bulletin

Electronic road signs along major Windward highways are beginning to make "God's Country" look like billboard-ridden Los Angeles, residents say.

The state Department of Transportation, in response to objections raised over several years, has called an informational meeting on the signs for 6 p.m. tomorrow at Kailua Intermediate School cafeteria, 145 S. Kainalu Drive.

Transportation officials say federal guidelines require the signs.

But for Windward residents like state Rep. Cynthia Thielen (R, Kailua), the signs are an eyesore.

"They remind me of L.A. freeways," Thielen said. "You go to L.A. expecting massive signs. You don't drive on the Windward side of Oahu expecting them."

While transportation officials may say there are federal requirements, they have yet to show here where on the books the large signs are mandated, she said.

"There may be some requirement to have some directional signs, but certainly not the huge variable message signs that blink," Thielen said.

DOT spokeswoman Marilyn Kali said that there are about 25 signs in all, 17 that already are in place.

The signs began going up after the Kaneohe interchange side of H-3 was completed several years ago.

Kali said there are three types, which come in different shapes, sizes and costs:

Destination signs that tell motorists where certain lanes go.

Changeable message signs that alert motorists if certain routes or highways have been shut down.

Variable message signs that inform motorists about traffic conditions along the highway including traffic accidents, roadwork, merging lanes and lane closures.

Transportation officials have met with community leaders, including members of the Outdoor Circle, to see the effect of the signs.

"It's not the signs. It's not the language," said Elaine Murphy, chairwoman of the Kaneohe Neighborhood Board. "It's the structures that we have concerns with. The size and the fact they block the view plane."

Juanita Schiltz, transportation chairwoman for the Kailua Neighborhood Board, said the community has already got the state to reduce the size of the signs. Original designs called for some signs to be as big as 70 feet wide, she said.

There has been so much controversy surrounding one sign on the Kaneohe side of the Likelike Highway, near the H-3 junction, that Kali said "that sign, we are thinking of relocating."

But Kali said that taking down or relocating all the signs the state has received complaints about would cost an estimated $5 million.

"And it would have to come from state funds," Kali said. "And we don't have state funds to do it."

Windward Councilman Steve Holmes said he's thankful the state has been listening to the community.

But the combination of the newly reconstructed Kahekili Highway, which he calls the "concrete canyon" combined with the large signs makes Kaneohe look like the mainland, he said.

Still, not all Windward residents dislike the signs.

"They don't block my view of the mountains and Kaneohe Bay," said Kailua resident Liane Voss, who commutes daily along the H-3 to get to work at Moanalua High School.

The signs are necessary and aren't too big for her, she said.