Walking was a big part of Evelyn Araki’s life. The 90-year-old woman wore Vibram Fivefingers shoes, which made her feel like she was barefoot, to stroll around her Salt Lake neighborhood. For about a decade she crossed busy Salt Lake Boulevard and headed under the H-1 freeway as she walked to her job at the airport, where she greeted Japanese travelers.

And she died walking, struck in a crosswalk by a pickup truck turning left near her condo in 2019.

Soon after, residents and a state representative asked the city to figure out how to protect pedestrians from vehicles at the intersection of Ala Lilikoi and Ala Ilima streets where Araki was killed. The city said no changes were needed.

Since then, at least seven more people have been struck there by vehicles turning left from Ala Ilima onto Ala Lilikoi.

Now the city says it will install a left turn signal — exactly what the neighborhood board requested after Araki’s death six years ago and again last year.

“We got the runaround for years,” board member Joseph Omura said.

In a study of the intersection in 2020, employees with the city’s Department of Transportation Services wrote that there weren’t enough cars making left turns to justify the congestion that a signal could create.

Instead, the city added a sign reminding drivers turning left to yield to pedestrians in the crosswalk. Araki’s friends placed brightly colored flags at the intersection for walkers to grab so they would be more visible as they crossed. The effort fizzled out.

Transportation department spokesperson Travis Ota told Civil Beat in a written statement that the city decided to act because more pedestrians have been struck. The city is planning to add a left turn arrow.

This Intersection Has A Reputation

Tuesday evening, people crossed back and forth at the intersection as they went about their business. A few said they know the spot is dangerous. Close calls with pedestrians are common, Salt Lake resident Roy Cheng told Civil Beat.

In 2024, three residents were hit there in the span of 90 days. That’s when the neighborhood board again asked the city to take action. David Yomes, the neighborhood board chair, reached out to local media, saying in an interview with KHON2 that it was “the most dangerous crosswalk in all of Oʻahu.”

But the intersection’s safety record is worse than what Yomes knew when he made that statement. The city’s most recent traffic study counts four more people struck in that crosswalk, in addition to Evelyn Araki.

One person in July 2022 was hit just before 11 a.m. by a driver distracted by kids in her van. In January 2024, another person was hit by a driver who fled the scene. In September 2024, a person was hit along with their dog. 

People were hit while walking in either direction. They were hit when the walk sign was on. Most were hit in broad daylight.

“It’s a longstanding issue,” said Honolulu City Council member Radiant Cordero. She requested traffic calming devices at the intersection and others during the 2023 budget process, though the final budget allocated less money than she requested.

Design Of Intersection, Walk Signals An Issue

The terrain and layout of the intersection are among the factors making it dangerous, according to residents.

Cars approaching the intersection on Ala Ilima Street go up a slight hill, making it harder to see pedestrians. Those turning left onto Ala Lilikoi Street must make a sharp left turn because the roads don’t intersect at a right angle, meaning pedestrians crossing westbound can be in a driver’s blind spot.

Because the walk sign doesn’t turn on automatically, pedestrians sometimes cross when the Don’t Walk sign is displayed.

Add to that the reasons behind many wrecks: Drivers are in a hurry and pedestrians often don’t pay attention to their surroundings.

And there are a lot of pedestrians. People living in the apartments surrounding Moanalua High School walk to Salt Lake Shopping Center, which has a grocery store, drugstore and other businesses.

Cheng said he sees a lot of retirees on their way to the shopping center and the McDonald’s.

“That’s their hangout,” he said.

‘The Comfort Of My Life’

Evelyn Araki was one of these retirees. She lived in a condominium at Century West, a five-minute walk from the intersection, according to her daughter, Francine Araki.

She said her mother stayed active all her life — traveling, socializing and unwinding by singing along to ʻukulele. When Evelyn Araki’s older brother turned 100, dozens of family members from all over gathered to celebrate.  

“That was a great time for my mother because that was the last time she saw everyone,” Francine Araki said. “And then four days later, she was struck by the car and died.”

Evelyn Araki was walking to McDonald’s to meet friends that July morning. Instead, at the hospital, family members sang Hawaiian songs as a cousin played an ʻukulele. Araki died later that day.

Francine Araki said she still misses her daily phone calls with her mom. “I don’t have that person who was the comfort of my life,” she said.

Lynnette Araki, another daughter, along with Francine and Stephanie Araki, said she thinks the left turn signal is a good idea. The intersection is busy, cars are huge these days and a lot of older people like to walk around their community, she said. 

“That’s the one thing I notice about Hawaiʻi: People walk, because it’s a walkable place,” Lynnette Araki said. “And so, I think that they probably need to put something there.”

Civil Beat’s community health coverage is supported by the Atherton Family Foundation, Swayne Family Fund of Hawai‘i Community Foundation, the Cooke Foundation and Papa Ola Lōkahi.