HONOLULU — Recent extreme traffic across Oahu meant paid time off for many government employees.
Oahu drivers faced hourslong traffic jams starting Tuesday because of a broken down ZipMobile that left four westbound lanes closed on the H-1 freeway.
State officials don’t know exactly how many state workers were allowed to leave early Wednesday to avoid a repeat of the snarled traffic, The Honolulu Star-Advertiser reported. The state executive branch has 4,951 employees who work downtown, but the number doesn’t account for other large state agencies working there such as the Department of Education and state Judiciary, said Jodi Leong, spokeswoman for Gov. David Ige.
Nearly 750 out of 8,500 city workers went home early on “ZipMobile Admin Leave,” said Carolee Kubo, city director of Human Resources.
Horrific traffic started Tuesday morning when a faulty power pack and central processing unit died in one of the state’s two ZipMobiles, which open up an extra lane for eastbound commuters with two or more in a vehicle during the morning rush. The ZipperLane remained stuck for about 28 hours.
City employees who went home early Wednesday got paid as usual and did not have to use vacation time, city spokesman Jesse Broder Van Dyke said.
“The state contacted us … and asked us to follow their lead in staggered, early departure for some workers in hopes of getting people off the freeway sooner and freeing up capacity for all the other Oahu commuters,” he said.
Ala Moana Boulevard car dealership employee Ron Callihan lost four hours of pay when he left early trying to avoid another five-hour drive to Kunia. He said he found himself again stuck in traffic, but along with those who were getting paid.
“It’s a further burden on all of us who pay taxes because of the work that did not get done,” he said. “They’ve had a very short week for the same amount of pay. I’m not angry about it; I’m just disappointed.”
State and city workers are also off on the Good Friday holiday.