West Hawaii Today, Wednesday, December 03, 2003 Drivers urged to slow down
Kona Heavens Neighborhood Watch member Curtis Johnson displays signs Tuesday along Hina Lani Road, urging drivers to slow down. See Local News page for more. -MICHAEL DARDEN-WHT
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By KAREN IWAMOTO/ West Hawaii Today
Kona Heavens residents fed up with speeding cars in their neighborhood took to the street with signs and a speed board to clock passing motorists.
Five residents stood Tuesday morning near the intersection of Manu Mele Street and Hina Lani Street with placards urging drivers to obey the posted 35 mph speed limit.
By noon they had caught 78 speeders - including a police officer going about 57 mph without a blue light flashing, said Lilian Beaufrere, the Kona Heavens Neighborhood Watch coordinator.
The average car sped by at 48 mph, she said, but explained the speed board is not as accurate as radar carried by police.
Police did not ticket speeding drivers during Tuesday's campaign, but residents recorded the license plate numbers of those who ignored the speed limit. They hope to have the Police Department send warning letters to offenders.
"This is not just a speeding issue," Kona Heavens resident Curtis Johnson said. "This is a safety issue, as well."
Added fellow Kona Heavens resident Stefan Folkendt, "Those speeding from the Costco side can't brake in time if someone comes out of the Manu Mele Place intersection."
That's because Manu Mele Street is at the crest of a steep hill that blocks the view of oncoming traffic.
"We haven't had any serious accidents here recently, but we've had some close calls," Folkendt said.
Police periodically set up radar checks along Hina Lani Street, but are not there every day, said Kona Community Police Officer William Vickery, who helped residents organize the sign - waving campaign as an educational measure for motorists.
This is the fifth time in four years Kona Heavens residents have taken matters into their own hands and it has worked as a short - term solution, Beaufrere said.
"When you do this and they're out there speeding, they do slow down," she said. "But you have got to be out here all the time."
Vickery agreed. "Usually people slow down for the next couple of weeks, but after that, they go back to their old driving habits," he said.
"The down grade of that road is so steep, it's really hard to get down to that speed," he said. "But it is possible because I can get it done, so I'm sure other people can, too, if they pay attention."
Kona Heavens residents will be back on the street 1 p.m. Thursday.
kiwamoto@westhawaiitoday.com
For more information, call Beaufrere at 325-0039.
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