Pearl City community volunteers joined HPD Officers from the Pearl City Community Policing Team on Wednesday in support of the Community Traffic Awareness Program – CTAP that focuses on addressing traffic safety awareness through sign waving in areas of concern throughout our community.
Also participating on Wednesday was Pearl City elected officials, Pearl City High School students and faculty, and Pearl City Highlands Elementary School Junior Police Officers. The group combined their efforts in delivering their traffic safety awareness message to motorists traveling through the intersection of Waimano Home Road & Leomele Street. Volunteers held signs encouraging motorists to slow down, obey the speed limit, and watch out for pedestrians in crosswalks.
Wednesday's CTAP event honored a Pearl City woman, Guangha Wen, who was struck by a speeding car back in July while in a crosswalk at the intersection of Waimano Home Road & Leomele Street. She died a day later from her injuries suffered in the accident.
Hawaii State Senator Clarence Nishihara and Honolulu City Councilman Breene Harimoto worked together to organize Wednesday's event that served to address speeding in our community as well as to remind the public of how Wen lost her life in the very same spot that the CTAP event was being held.
"I spoke to Councilman Harimoto about this particular street and he was aware of it as well," said Senator Nishihara. "I had made contact with the husband of the woman who got killed here and will be here to join us at this particular spot. This is where the accident took her life. As we all know, coming up and down Waimano Home Road is really quite steep and the speed really picks up. We’re trying to get people to be more aware of people crossing the street. It’s critical. It also goes without saying that people who are crossing the street should also watch out on both sides and more so in the evening when people cross and they might have darker clothing. Street lights may not necessarily illuminate if you have dark clothing. Those are the kind of issues we need to make a broader understanding and awareness throughout the island not just in Pearl City."
"Speeding is a problem all over the island and whatever we can do to help bring attention to the issue," said Councilman Harimoto. “It’s kind of a special meaning to all us being here today because of the woman who was killed, right here, at this very crosswalk about a month ago."
Ron Wen, after losing his wife in the accident, has come to learn how bad the traffic really is in his at the intersection of Waimano Home Road & Leomele Street which is a block away from his home.
"I don’t use this crosswalk right here," said Wen. "Only when my wife got hit, then I realized that traffic here is terrible. My wife just came from China. She was learning how to ride the bus. She got off the bus and was crossing when she got hit. She said that traffic is terrible and didn’t want me to drive, so she rides the bus. You know in China, they don’t use the crosswalk. They just go. I’ve been telling her that you gotta use the crosswalk, you gotta use the crosswalk. You may be in a crosswalk but you still have to be defensive.”
Our prayers go out to Mr. Wen and his wife Guangha. I would like to thank him for coming out to meet all the volunteers on Wednesday and also thank him for sharing his time and for giving us the opportunity to learn more about his wife and how she was a truly special person in his life.
Photo by Barry Villamil | [email protected]
(From left to right) Honolulu City Councilman Breene Harimoto, Ron Wen (husband of Guangha Wen who was killed in July on Waimano Home Road), State House (District 34) candidate Gregg Takayama, and State Senator (District 18) Clarence Nishihara.
Photo by Barry Villamil | [email protected]
Former Pearl City Neighborhood Board Member Myrtle Nyuha poses with State House Representative Roy Takumi on Wednesday at the corner of Waimano Home Road & Leomele Street in Pearl City.
Photo by Barry Villamil | [email protected]
Pearl City High School student volunteers came out to support Wednesday's CTAP sign waving event.
Photo by Barry Villamil | [email protected]
HPD Officer Anthony Bonilla from the Pearl City Community Policing team is pictured with his keiki who also volunteered on Wednesday during the CTAP sign waving event.
Photo by Barry Villamil | [email protected]
More Pearl City High School students supporting CTAP.
Photo by Barry Villamil | [email protected]
PCHS students getting the message out to slow down.
Photo by Barry Villamil | [email protected]
Mahalo to all the PCHS students who volunteered their time to help make our community and streets a safer place to be.
Photo by Barry Villamil | [email protected]
Officer Conti kept the traffic moving smoothly through the intersection of Waimano Home Road & Leomele Street.
Photo by Barry Villamil | [email protected]
Officer Santos monitored the speed of motorist traveling on Waimano Home Road.
Photo by Barry Villamil | [email protected]
Pearl City Highlands Elementary School Junior Police Officers take a photo with Officer Alagao near their school at the intersection of Waimano Home Road and Leomele Street.
Photo by Barry Villamil | [email protected]
Pearl City Highlands Elementary School Junior Police Officers receive a job well done from Officer Alagao.
Photo by Barry Villamil | [email protected]
Group shot of volunteers who participated on Wednesday. Great Job!