New Kapolei road no cure-all

[urbanguy]

After two decades of wrangling, construction of a North-South road in West O'ahu finally will begin early next year.

Not a minute too soon, residents say.

"About five years too late," said John Honold, senior pastor at Hope Chapel Kapolei whose offices are in 'Ewa Beach. "The way things are going, we're going to need a Berlin airlift to get food here."

The $121 million, six-lane highway has long been sought to ease traffic congestion in the fastest growing part of O'ahu. It's an area, Honold said, where rapid housing construction has far outpaced the infrastructure.

But even as the work is about to start, some residents wonder how much it will help

[jzt83]

I am doubtful that the "north-south" road will help much. Residents of ewa beach would be backtracking if they took that road. It may help a little but not much. I say a better solution would be build an underground road from Iroqouis housing under pearl harbor to town. Whatever happened to that ferry? That was a really good idea that nobody utilized. Another solution is to build more commercial development in the Ewa area. There aren't much job oppurtunties there. Wasn't the second city alleviate congestion in town?