HawaiiNewsNow-article

February 3, 2015

Street closure in Kailua could add to traffic woes

By Chris Tanaka

KAILUA, OAHU (HawaiiNewsNow) -

Aoloa Street in Kailua is convenient for residents of the 1006 units that live in 7 condominium complexes on it and Aoloa Place.

Perhaps too convenient.

"We had too many people coming through this private road, and it costs us because we own it, we have to maintain it" said resident Teddy Bosch.

The Kailua Gardens Community Association Board, which is comprised of representatives from each of the condo complexes, recently sent out messages to all the residents, announcing an impending move aimed at reducing non-resident traffic on the street.

Beginning February 15, the gate on the Kailua Road side of Aoloa Street will be open from 5am to 9am only. For all other hours of the day, seven days a week, it will be closed.

Not all residents are pleased.

"I think it's kind of silly. We already pay fees to maintain the street. I don't understand why we have to keep it closed all the time" said resident Kali Gall.

The move was made with pedestrian safety and cost control in mind. Because it's a private street, the City and County of Honolulu is not responsible for maintenance. According to the KGCA Board, it has spent 75 thousand dollars on pavement repairs in the past four years due to overuse. That figure doesn't include sidewalk and streetlight repairs. Each condo is docked a $5.55 monthly fee to pay for these fixes.

Residents going to the beach, Kailua District Park, or other areas in Kailua town will have to access them via Hahani - where the new Target is located. The traffic implications are daunting but some say, worth it.

"That's the price we have to pay to keep our property in good condition" said Bosch.

EMS, HFD and HPD have all been notified, and will all have access to a lock box to open the gate in an emergency. Additionally, the Board said it will review the decision in the future and could add an evening window. It's conducting a second engineering study on adding an electronic gate to give residents access 24/7.