Other Ideas for New Kihei Roundabout Location Presented by Maui County and State Officials

Bombarded with concerns over a huge new roundabout in Kihei, officials from Maui County and State of Hawaii are working to present alternative designs for community input.

"Yeah, we kinda got the message that mixing high school kids and a 2-lane roundabout probably isn't the wisest idea," said Horacio Puupuu of the state Department of Transaportation, which is spearheading the Kihei project on the Piilani Highway (31) at Kulanihakoi Street.

There, a new high school is under construction on the east side of the highway, or on the opposite side where most residential homes exist (which is ocean side of the highway).

This challenge spurred government officials to try to address the probability that opening a school right on a hugely busy highway would cause safety issues for students and pedestrians.

So proposed was a new roundabout, to feature 2 lanes to manage traffic coming in from all directions. The new roundabout would be larger than those currently in operation on Maui.

Those existing roundabouts have not been immune to troubles. Just this year, a visiting motorist got so confused that she couldn't exit the single-lane roundabout near Piilani Village Shopping Center. (She did, but after several hours).

Then more recently, a pedestrian became stuck in the center of the same traffic circle for a couple of hours. (Both incidents were first reported by Maui Insight).

For neighbors and parents questioning the new roundabout, the recent incidents just amplify their concerns about safety, both for motorists and pedestrians.

"I mean, a lady from Portland got stuck in the Kihei roundabout for hours," said Karen Crabapple, who lives just west of the highway. "Imagine having to dodge walking kids while trying to figure out how to exit a 2-lane roundabout."

Hawaii officials believe the concerns are overblown, as roundabouts have been used quite successfully to both slow and manage traffic on roads and streets throughout the world. One was even featured in the movie, "National Lampoon's European Vacation."

They point to the relatively safe records of existing busy roundabouts in Kihei and Kahului.

"The roundabouts we have already really are not problematic. Some locals even like driving through them," said Puupuu, the state DOT spokesman. "So we studied the Kihei highway situation quite significantly, and came up with a design that should work well for all travelers.

"However, because of the concerns expressed by residents, we have decided to share past concepts, and design a few more, to show just how bad it might have been if not for the current 2-lane roundabout design."

The other designs include:

• A simulation of a freeway interchange in Japan that weirdly resembles an elaborate ampersand
• A proposal to install perfect replications of OGG speed bumps in the new roundabout
• A concept to use large versions of those thingies that shoot tee shirts into game crowds to toss students over the highway
• An idea to have some fun and create an overpass that looks like a tunnel from a hamster home contraption
• To ban all gas-powered cars like California, so the overall traffic situation on the highway is completely eliminated, except for scooters and electric bikes
• A weird design to make all the roads leading into the roundabout spell the word "GOTCHA!" if viewed from the air

Puupuu said the concepts will be made public, and residents are welcome to give their input, but the odds of government officials changing the project are slim since construction already has commenced.

"I'd say the odds of changing the new roundabout design are about the same as the Detroit Tigers winning the World Series," Puupuu said.