The Honorable Mayor Kirk Caldwell
City & County of Honolulu
530 South King Street, Room 300
Honolulu, Hawaii, 96813

Dear Mayor Caldwell:

We are constituents who resides in the City & County of Honolulu, and are in favor of re-routing the city operated Community Access Bus Route #503, and humbly appeal that the city considers our petition.

The City & County of Honolulu operates a Community Access Bus route #503, which travels North Bound from Mililani Town Center (MTC), meanders through the lower part of Waipio Acres to the end of Launani valley via Mililani Tech Park, and reverses its route back to MTC.

Unfortunately, this bus route does not CIRCLE the entire Waipio valley.

The north bound route turns left, on to Waimakua Dr., at the corner of Wainihi St. & Waimakua Dr., leaving many residents to walk up into the valley.

Visualize an elderly, a person carrying groceries, a parent pushing a baby
stroller, walking up the valley. Matters are worse when it rains. This scenario is unnecessary, unacceptable, however they occur daily, which can be a safety issue.

Our request is to re-route #503.
The proposed route would redirect the North Bound #503 Bus to turn right instead of left; travel East off of Wainihi Street on to Waimakua Drive, which merges and becomes Wailawa Street.
Circling the perimeter of Waipio Acres and intersects back to its original route on Waimakua Drive. The South Bound #503 Bus would reverse its direction, traveling the new revised route.

The additional stops to this approximately 1 mile route should not affect the route's time schedule since there's a 15 minute idle time at the Mililani Transit Station MTC. Furthermore, the Community Access Buses that are used for this route are half the size of the Robert's type yellow School Buses that travels daily through the proposed route during school days, which negates any concerns of the route taking too long, or it being congested, making both concerns a non-factor for considering our request.

A favorable consideration to this important issue is appreciated. It will impact over 300 homes of residents who live in the area of concern, enable our city to reach, and serve a larger segment of the community. Thus improving their efficiency, their quality of life, by saving valuable time and spending it with their loved ones, which translates to Social Equity.

In closing, your City and County of Honolulu Mayor's webpage said it best. Listing 'Bus Services' top on your list of Major Priorities, which quotes;

'Public transportation is about social equity. It is the great equalizer for many people within our community, helping them get to work, school, medical appointments or to go shopping. Our award-wining bus system provides people with a way to get around town that is safe, affordable, and efficient'.

Sincerely,

Concerned Citizens of Route #503

Letter Only:
Ron Menor - City Councilman Mililani/Waipio
Joey Manahan - City Councilman Chair – Transportation
Mike Fromby, Director - DTS
Richard Poirier, Chair - Mililani/Waipio/Melemanu Neighborhood Board No. 25
Rodger Morton, President – OTS
Michelle Kennedy, HandiVan