FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                             December 14, 2006

TRAFFIC PATTERN CHANGE AT KING AND BISHOP

TAKES EFFECT NEXT WEEK

            Beginning December 21, the right-hand lane of South King Street beyond Fort Street Mall will be restricted only to right turns onto Bishop Street, with the exception of City buses.

            The change is being made in conjunction with the consolidation of two nearby bus stops on King Street – fronting Bank of Hawaii and Hawaiian Electric Co. – into a new stop near Alakea Street fronting First Hawaiian Bank.

            “These changes will improve vehicle safety and traffic circulation and will enhance our bus operations,” said Transportation Services Director Melvin Kaku. “We have notified the Downtown Neighborhood Board and affected businesses, and they have all approved.”

            Regular service and morning peak hour express (X) buses that currently stop on King Street in front of Bank of Hawaii and Hawaiian Electric Co. will switch to the new bus stop fronting First Hawaiian Bank near Alakea Street beginning December 21. The existing bus stop on King just past Alakea, adjacent to the Subway restaurant, will continue to serve A, B and C express buses.

            The changes are expected to reduce queuing of traffic on King at Bishop, a situation that has prompted some motorists to try to zip around stopped buses to turn onto Bishop. The changes will also improve travel times for buses and facilitate right turns from King Street onto Bishop and Richards streets.      

-30-

Contact:        

            Melvin Kaku, Director of Transportation Services, 768-8303          

            James Burke, Public Transit Division Chief, 768-8363