Frustration grows with crowds, traffic at Laniakea Beach

It can take as long as an hour for North Shore drivers to travel just 2 miles in front of Laniakea Beach, where a 10-year-old boy from California was hit by a vehicle Aug. 1 while crossing Kamehameha Highway to get to a popular spot to watch sea turtles in Hawaii.

The simmering frustration over the 4-year-long traffic jam — blamed on tourists jaywalking across the two-lane highway to get to the beach — has now boiled over with people complaining about everything from who’s to blame to concerns that too many visitors are flooding the North Shore.

Tourism officials are offering to help fund short- and medium-term solutions — if any can be found — because of fears of a community backlash against visitors.