FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                               December 6, 2005

Release M-108

CITY ENDS WANAAO ROAD TRAFFIC-CALMING PROJECT

            Mayor Mufi Hannemann today announced the City is ending the Wanaao Road traffic-calming project in Kailua.

            The demonstration project, which was undertaken in response to community demands, involved placing cones in order to slow vehicular traffic along Wanaao, near the entrance to Enchanted Lake.

            “Our studies showed the project had an insignificant effect on speeding traffic, and it created safety issues for residents who live in the immediate area, making it difficult for them to get in and out of their driveways,” said the mayor.

            The project originally was budgeted for $217,000 that would have provided for permanent modifications. However, the project was scaled back, and temporary curbs and delineators were installed in mid-April as a test. Cost of the project since then has totalled $12,000.

            The temporary curbs and delineators will be removed beginning tomorrow.  The Department of Transportation Services plans to install additional signs and place trailer-mounted speed indicators at that stretch of road intermittently to make motorists aware of their speed.

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Contact:

              Bill Brennan, 527-6928

              Mark Matsunaga, 527-5767