State of Hawai‘i Department of Transportation Monthly Newsletter
Connecting the DOTs...
September 2019
2019 ISAC Winners Announced
By: Dan Miyahira
the Year e, Employee of Ig id av D . ov G hi Butay, en, Ross Higas ek Chow, Jade egan, Ed Sniff -R ki From left: Der ra A nn Ly aihealani, Chelsea Po‘om
DOT Supervisors Conference: Guiding Your Team to Success By: Lynn Araki-Regan & Juli Chun
Director Jade Butay announced the HDOT Supervisors Conference will be held Friday, October 18 at the Hawai‘i Convention Center. The one-day conference from 7:45 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. will feature specific topics to enhance the knowledge, delivery and support managers within the administration, airports, harbors, and highways divisions.
DHRD staff will also give key insights to some of the issues that supervisors face and the proper ways to deal with them. This is a chance for division supervisors/managers to learn how to guide their teams to success! Conference presentations include: See CONFERENCE page 11
In case you missed it, our 2019 Ho‘olaule‘a was great. From the venue to the food and prizes, there was something for everyone. The winners for each category are listed below: Manager of the Year (MOY): Donald Smith, HWY-H Team of the Year (TOY): Hawai‘i District WASHTO Team of the Year: ADMIN HDOT Online Vendor Contracts Portal Team - Gina Belleau, Pat Shin, Mel Barroga AIRPORTS Lihue Airport Grounds Maintenance Department Jay Lotu, Sheldon Moniz, Wayne Matsushima HARBORS Harbor Traffic Control Jon Kua, Kap Gomez, Luke Bagood, Nikki Hayashi See WINNERS page 2
WINNERS continued from page 1
Contents
HIGHWAYS Hawai‘i District
DOT Supervisors Conference Guiding Your Team to Success ........................................................... 1
Employee of the Year (EOY): Chelsea Po’omaihealani, AIRHL
2019 ISAC Winners ................... 1
Sustained Superior Performance (SSP): Miles Ueno, HWY-OT Jan Higaki, HW-TS
Message from Our Director... 3 Why It’s Important to Get Off Your Phone .................................. 3
Curtis Motoyama, OCR-D David Lee, HAR-OCI Keenean Devera, HWY-HE Kathleen Wade, AIR-M Robert Cecconi, HAR-K Gina Belleau, HWY-AP Kevin Murata, HWY-DB Shelly Kunishige, DIR-P Adrienne Crowell, AIR-KA Special Recognition (SR): Kelvin Akazawa, HWY-OU Denis Nagao, AIR-HL Lawrence Dill, HWY-K
Congratulations to all of the winners! Employee of the Year, Manager of the Year and Team of the Year will go on to represent the HDOT in the Governor’s Awards Program. Let’s all wish them the best.
Managing Editor: Rae Nguyen Art Director: Frank Uratani Column Writers: Rey Domingo Melanie Martin
Harbors ......................................... 5 Highways ...................................... 6 National Payroll Week.............. 8 Helpful Hints for Remembering Passwords ...... 8
FUN FACT #1 First Lighthouse in Hawai‘i built in Lahaina in 1840.
Get Your Move On! .................. 9 Chocolate Mochi Cake............. 9
FUN FACT #2 Queen’s Hospital was founded in 1859.
Editor-in-Chief: Lynn Araki-Regan
Airports ......................................... 4
Secrets for Feeling Good All Day ............................................... 10 Free Small Business Financing Workshop .................................. 12
CONNECTING THE DOTs Contributors: Casey Abe Jazelle Aolahiko Craig Bisgard Jade Butay Juli Chun Kyle Gregg David Holland Shelly Kunishige
Carter Luke Maaza Mekuria Dan Miyahira Dawn Murata Kimberly Okamura Rachel Roper Tiffinie Smith Coleen Yoshina Kara Yoshida
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©2019 Connecting the DOTs. All rights reserved. Interested in submitting for next month’s newsletter? Send your articles and high resolution photos to
lynn.arakiregan@ FUN FACT #3 hawaii.gov. Aliiolani Hale was completed in 1874.
Message from our Director
By: Jade Butay
we honored our exemplary employees for their contributions and service to the state. Since statehood, there have been various issues that have tested our faith and perspective.
Aloha
and mahalo to everyone who was able to attend the 2019 Ho‘olaule’a celebration recognizing the 60th anniversary of Hawai’i’s statehood into the United States. This year, as with the past 60, HDOT employees have made incredible strides in moving our state forward. At the event,
The events on Mauna Kea serve as a current example that have induced various points of view. Whatever the political climate, HDOT employees continue to remain focused on the task at hand. I am proud of our strides towards sustainability, which includes
replacing outdated lighting and equipment with environmentally friendly options and installing 24,700 solar panels across all three divisions which will save $775 million in electricity costs over the 20-year life of the contract. Over the next two years, you will see tremendous modernization FUN FACT #4 improvements Kapiolani Regi onal Park dedicated at our airports, in 1877. harbors and highways that I am excited to see come to fruition. Mahalo to each and every one of you for your dedication and support to make it all happen.
Why it’s Important to Put the Phone Down! By: David Holland Distracted driving is a serious hazard for drivers on public roads. Distracted driving is any non-driving activity a person engages in that has the potential to distract him or her from the primary task of driving and increase the risk of crashing. There are three main types of
distraction: No text o • Visual — taking r phone c all is tha risk your t importa your eyes off the life or yo nt to u r ‘o hana. road. our • Manual — taking your because hands off the wheel. it involves all three • Cognitive — taking your types of distraction. mind off what you’re doing. While all distractions can endanger drivers’ safety, texting and cellular phone usage is the most alarming PAGE 3
Be safe and take care of yourself - and everyone FUN FACT #5 Bishop Museum else on the road. was founded in 1889.
t sculpture finds Hawaii’s beloved ar heart of the Kona a new home at the t. International Airpor
Airports H Hawaiian Helmet Relocated to KOA Centralized Checkpoint C By: Rae Nguyen By
the Hawaiian islands under th his hi rule.
“Blink li k and d you’ll ll miss i iit.” That used to be the case, but not anymore. The mahiole (Hawaiian feather helmet) statue has been relocated between the north and south terminals of the Ellison Onizuka Kona International Airport. Worn only by Hawaiian royalty, the mahiole is symbolic of King Kamehameha I, who unified
The Th ceramic mahiole was originally displayed in front o of o the administration offices, where visitors were offered w a fleeting glance as they turned the corner before tur reaching the e north terminal. n nal. Visitors can now enjoy this majestic sculpture which is prominently featured in front of the upcoming centralized checkpoint.
This new checkpoint, which connects both the north and south terminals, is slated to open early 2020. Currently, more than 3 million passengers pass through the airport each year, a figure that continues to grow. grow
ADM Chaunce y Wong Yuen blesses the mahiole and the many han ds that help transport it sa fely to its new location.
ITO’s Very Own Recognized g as Employee of the Year By: Tiffinie Smith A BIG B congratulations to Chelsea Po Po‘omaihealani as the recipient of the Em Employee of the Year aw award!
y, Gov. David Ige, From left: Jade Buta shi alani and Ross Higa Chelsea Po‘omaihe
W are so proud of We he accomplishments her an dedication to Hilo and In International Airport. PAGE 4
Wish her luck as she will be representing the DOT at the Governor’s awards. This is a well-deserved recognition for her continued efforts and her eagerness to step in and assist. Mahalo Chelsea for all you do!
FUN Waiki FACT #6 ki A opens quarium in 190 4.
Harbors Honolulu Harbor Pier 2 Terminal Gets a New Face Lift By: Carter Luke
It’s a new and modern look at the Honolulu Harbor. The former Pier 2 terminal luggage inspection room was recently repurposed into a chic VIP passenger/multi-purpose room. Movable wooden dividers topped with frosted acrylic viewing panels provide crowd control and direction, separating from the general passenger boarding area. The clean and simple lines with various shades of blue gave an oceanic theme. It also made it easier for passengers to navigate.
Completed in February 2019 by Mitsunaga & Associates, Inc. and Hawaiian Dredging Construction Company, Inc., the 2,166 sq. ft. room can accommodate up to twentyfive passengers and four
service employees. When not in use, it can serve as an attractive meeting facility. The upgrade was necessary after a 2015 legislative resolution identifying a need to enhance cruise ship passenger experience and branding Hawaii as a statewide priority. The design of the room progressed through three different floor plans with input from the cruise industry. Comments were invaluable in understanding layout needs and how to best ne manage passenger ma movement from the mo registration/ID checkre in to the lounge/food service area. se Room features include: R • Casual dining of ready-made food from re a “cold buffet table.” • New movable furniture for flexible f arrangements. a • New carpet tiles for ease of ca maintenance. • Charging outlets for mobile devices. • Outlets on perimeter walls for entertainment, housekeeping and potential refrigeration appliances. PAGE 5
•A large screen television/ monitor. • New light fixtures. • New drop-ceiling tiles. Since the room was in a former inspection area, a small adjustment was required in order to be compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) -- the relocation of a visual fire alarm strobe warning device. Environmental impacts from the completely enclosed interior room were minimal and limited to fugitive noise and dust during the construction period. Accordingly, this project qualified for an environmental Declaration of Exemption in accordance with Chapter 343, FUN FACT #7 University of Hawaii Revised Hawai’i Manoa Statutes (HRS).
was founded in 1907.
Highways Unmanned Aerial Systems Workshop By: Casey Abe
Christine employee w e n e m o hana! Welc our DOT ‘O to i k sa a m Ya
Welcome W l Ch Christi i tine!! By: Kara Yoshida
Name: Christine Yamasaki Job Title: Federal Program Engineer Start Date: July 1, 2019 Hometown: Honolulu. HI Degree: Oregon State University, BS Civil Engineering Family: 1 husband – Ryan; 2 kids – Aaron and Caralyn; 2 dogs and many fish Hobbies: I love reading detective books! Past Job History: Engineer at Park Engineering, Hawaii Project Manager at DOT HWY-DD Why she likes it at DOT: I like the people here, everyone is friendly. It’s always an adventure to learn new things. Some things are a challenge, but you just work though it and ask for help if needed. Everyone here is always willing to help.
The Highways Division’s State Transportation Innovation Council (STIC) and the Hawai‘i Local Technical Assistance Program (LTAP) hosted a oneday workshop on Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) or drones, Aug. 8 at the Daniel K. Inouye (DKI) Airport Conference Center. The objectives of the workshop were: (1) understanding the benefits and use cases for successful integration of drones; (2) gaining insights from North Carolina State Department of Transportation that has an established Drone Program; and (3) learning about applications for drones including, but not limited to, surveying, bridge inspections, traffic and construction operations, rockfall and coastal highway data collection. Approximately 50 attendees from federal, state and county government agencies, and private industry participated in the workshop. The Highways Division’s Materials Testing and Research Branch will be developing Divisional Guidelines on implementing Drones into their daily operations. Once the guidelines have been completed, a followup workshop will be held on the new guidelines.
Drone workshop offered to federa l, state and coun agencies. ty
What she’ll miss from her past job: HWY DD is filled with good people. They were all good at their job, which made it easy for me to do my job. Everyone worked together as a team to accomplish their goals. What she wants to accomplish at HWY-S: I want to be like Scot Urada! I want to know what I’m doing and be an expert in my field. PAGE 6
FUN FACT #8 Kilauea Point Lighthouse built in 1913.
Highways New App Reports Current Lane Closures
New Employees Join DOT ‘Ohana By: Maaza Christos Mekuria
By: Maaza Christos Mekuria
La closure processing Lane application is coming your way. ap H HDOT HWY-Admin is preparing p for a rollout of the th lane closure web-based application to streamline the a entry, e approval and reporting of o lane closures across the h s. highway department sections. This involves generating, approving, disseminating and d implementing the field lane closures for the many inhouse and outside requests on HDOT’s facilities across the Islands. The project began over a year ago and has been progressing from study to prototype and is now ready for implementation across the enterprise. The idea was conceived by HWY-A to advance DOT’s motto of “one entry and many uses” that Gina Belleau of HWY-A has been promoting for a while. The application is intended to help improve standardized data entry and is being implemented in-house by HDOT engineers. It involves an electronic data entry form using a tool called Survey123 by ESRI makers of ArcGIS software and some underlying custom programs that process the lane closure location data into a map based approval dashboard. The data entry form as well as the
See APP page 10
FUN FACT #9 Aloha Tower completed in 1926. PAGE 7
Chris de la To
rre is avid bike
kess ke lik e Zero Wu li New employe games. to play video
Notice a few new faces in Highways? Meet Chris de la Torre and Zero Wu. Chris de la Torre is one of the newest engineers to be part of the Hawai‘i Department of Transportation (HDOT) Highways Division. He is working under the Highways Administrator in the Project Coordination and Technical Services Section as a Civil Engineer. He has already began working with other sections within the DOT-HWY in implementing the Geographic Information System (GIS) based spatial tools using ArcGIS & Survey123 modules. Chris’s extensive educational background include a bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering from the Georgia Southern University in 2017. See EMPLOYEES page 11
r.
National Payroll Week September 2-6, 2019
Mahalo to our intrepid DOT payroll staff! It’s not easy to process payroll for the whole DOT ‘ohana but these hardworking women sure make it look like it’s a piece of cake. Make sure to give thanks and a piece of chocolate mochi cake, too!
Sally Marq uez, Sonya Evangelista Noralin Pa , and scua
iro,
e Okih rra, Juli a Ib a ic Jess Gloriani and Eva
Noralin Pascua, Cora Redor, Teresa Gushiken, Sally Marquez, Cynthia Bautista
FUN FACT #10 Pu‘u honua ‘o Honaunau National Historical P ark established in 1955.
Helpful Hints for Remembering Passwords By: Joy Toyama
Try Using Passphrases Passphrases are like passwords, but instead of using random characters, it uses a string of words. Instead of using a password like: c82L6k3nM@33! You could use a passphrase such as: Maytheforcebewithyou! For most people, the passphrase is going to be easier to remember. Just think of the famous quote from the Star Wars movie. Passphrases help users to have
a longer password which can be easier to remember. To make the passphrase more secure, it is common to replace a few letters with numbers or symbols, such as replacing “a” with “@” or “o” with “0” or “i” with “1”. An example could be: “Maytheforcebewithyou!” can be turned into: “M@ ythef0rcebew1thy0u!” which is even harder to crack. Increasing the number of characters in a password dramatically improves security. PAGE 8
Every additional character increases the number of possible combinations exponentially, making longer passwords far harder for hackers to crack.
Get Your Move On! By: Melanie Martin
Feeling tired, stressed, or out of shape? Wish you had more energy?
eating, being physically active, managing stress, and breaking unhealthy habits.
If you answered “yes” to any of these questions, you’ll be excited to learn that HDOT is in the process of launching a workplace wellness program that will benefit employees at all fitness levels! The program will be in coordination with the Employer-Union Health Benefits Trust Fund (EUTF).
Research shows that a workplace wellness program reduces absenteeism, increases productivity, and boosts morale. All great reasons to start a program now!
The major goal is to promote and incorporate healthy behaviors such as healthy
The results of the recent survey that was circulated via email to all HDOT employees will serve as a road map to developing a plan that will offer employees wellness activities that they can participate in such as joining a
walking group and learning healthy cooking tips and more! For more information, email HDOT’s Workplace Wellness Leader Melanie Martin at melanie.martin@hawaii.gov or call 831-7912.
Recipe of the Month: Chocolate Mochi Cake Recipe By: Coleen Yoshina
evaporated milk, ev coconut milk, vanilla co and eggs, then add an butter chocolate b mixture. m
Everyone will want your secret for this ono dessert. 2 c. mochiko flour 2 c. white sugar 1 T. baking soda 1 c. semi-sweet Chocolate chips 1 can (12 oz.) evaporated milk 1 can (12-oz.) coconut milk 1/2 c. butter 2 t. vanilla 2 eggs, beaten In a large bowl, sift together mochiko flour, sugar, and baking soda.
You can’t say no to just one bite.
Melt butter and chocolate chips together in a small bowl and stir until blended and smooth. In another bowl, combine PAGE 9
Add wet ingredients A into dry ingredients in and stir until smooth. an Pour into a greased Po 9” x 13” pan. Bake in a preheated B 350-degree oven for 3 45-55 minutes. Cool completely, and cut with a plastic knife. Enjoy! FUN FACT #11 Waikiki Shell built in 1956.
FUN FACT #12 Hawaii becomes the 50th state to join the United States of America.
Secrets to Feeling Good All Day By: Rey Domingo
It is a success secret used by many productivity pros to reduce burnout and accomplish more. The technique allows you to escape the gnawing sensation of what you know you eventually must do. You will enjoy your job more, and it could make the rest of the day feel like a breeze! – WorkLife Hawaii. As summer ends and the fall season is upon us, here’s one Secret to Feeling Good All Day:
The temperature of summer is almost year-round in our part of the world.
Start the morning by completing an important task that you would normally procrastinate – while it weighs on your mind all day.
Here’s a bit of advice from Occupational Safety and Health or OSHA for our employees who are mainly exposed to outside work:
This approach to work management takes practice because it does not conform to the way your mind likes to work, which is to postpone the pain.
While there are no regulations governing labor in the hot sun, there are guidelines. Heat exposure can lead to fatigue and increase accidents, APP continued from page 7
dashboard has security for both entry and approval personnel. Browse the closure review dashboard to get a feel for what the product is intended for via http://arcg.is/1W8n5m0. Don’t be shy, you will not break anything, try it today and you may give your feedback to one of the implementers, Chris de la Torre at christopher.h.delatorre@hawaii.gov. PAGE 10
so be sure to hydrate. OSHA recommends “eight ounces of water every 15 to 20 minutes if you are engaging in moderate work activities for less than two hours. Drink sports beverages containing electrolytes if you’re sweating for several hours.” Reduce job strain by using the right tools and getting help carrying heavy items. Look out for each other as co coworkers, and know the warning signs of heat-related illness – heavy sweating, dizziness, feeling faint when attempting to stand – and how to treat it. – www.osha.gov.
EMPLOYEES continued from page 7
Chris is not new to public service, he is already a commissioned officer in the Hawaii Army National Guard. In July of 2019, Chris returned from a deployment in Egypt, where he was a member of the Multinational Forces and Observers. He commanded three manned observation posts responsible for the reporting process that enforces the Israeli-Egyptian Peace Treaty. Chris is originally from the Big-Island, and he is an avid biker. He already crisscrossed Honolulu to Waimanalo and back by himself. Please welcome Chris and ask him about life in the Middle East and beyond. Zero Wu is also another of the additions to HDOT’s Highways Division. Zero was born in GuangZhou and moved to
Honolulu with his parents at the age of 8. He grew up and was educated in Honolulu. He obtained a Bachelor of Science in Computer Engineering from University of Hawaii at Manoa in 2019, and enjoys researching new scientific inventions and reading newspapers. Zero’s favorite food is sushi and loves milk tea. Zero is assigned to HWY Administration Project Control and Coordination Section. He will be working on the implementation of data centric analysis that the DOT has embarked on. Please welcome Zero when you get a chance to see him, and ask him all about what video game is his favorite one. We look forward to many innovations from both Chris and Zero as they apply what they learned and gain new experience within the HDOT and HWY-A.
CONFERENCE continued from page 1
• Accelerating the New Hiring Process • Performance Appraisal System: Coaching to Motivate Employees • Training Opportunities & Safety Training to Prevent Accidents • Preventing Drug/Alcohol/ Marijuana & Internet Misuse • Protecting Against Workplace Violence & Harassment • Understanding Worker’s Compensation, Reasonable Accommodations, & Light Duty • Conducting an Effective Investigation • Progressive Discipline That Gets Results
• Best Practices and LLessons Learned T keynote speaker The d during lunch will be Fire Chief Glen b Mitchell who will M sshare his insights on tthe importance of ccustomer service. “ “Whether you have been managing staff b ffor years, or were recently promoted to a managerial role, this is a MUST attend event,” said Director Butay. Contact Deborah Kuwaye at 587-2154 or deborah.k.kuwaye@hawaii.gov for more information. PAGE 11
Free Small Business Financing Workshops Sept. 10 & 11 By: Shelly Kunishige
The Hawai‘i Department of Transportation (HDOT) and the U.S. DOT Small Business Transportation Resource Center – Southwest Region will be holding workshops on working capital and debt financing for small businesses Sept. 10 in Honolulu and Sept. 11 in Kapolei. These workshops are free to the public and limited seating is available. Interested small business owners can reserve a seat through 2019summerinitiative.eventbrite. com. Workshop dates, times, and locations are: Honolulu • Tues., Sept. 10, 9-11:30 a.m. • General Contractors Association of Hawaii, 1065 Ahua Street, Honolulu, HI 96819 Kapolei • Wed., Sept. 11, 9-11:30 a.m. • Department of Hawaiian Homelands, 91-5420 Kapolei Parkway, Kapolei, HI 96707
The workshop organizers are transportationfocused, but the capital and debt financing strategies that will be presented may also be applied in other businesses. If you need an auxiliary aid/service or other accommodation due to a disability, contact Curtis Motoyama, ADA Specialist, at (808) 8317931 or curtis.s.motoyama@hawaii.gov, as soon as possible. Please make requests as early as possible to allow adequate time to fulfill your request. Upon request, this notice is available in alternate formats such as large print, Braille, or electronic copy.
Workshop attendees will learn about different types of financings, what lenders look for from potential borrowers, and alternatives to traditional bank loans.
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