Plans to build a pedestrian bridge over the Ala Wai Canal draw praise, concerns

HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) – Hundreds turned out for a workshop on a proposed pedestrian and bicycle bridge over the Ala Wai Canal Wednesday night.
Those who attended the session at Ala Wai Elementary School were shown nearly 20 design options on what such a bridge should look like.
“We’re asking people to kind of look at them and tell us what they think,” said city Transportation Services Director Roger Morton.
The bridge, which the city calls “Ala Pono,” would span the canal from Kalaimoku Street on the Waikiki side to University Avenue on the Moiliili side. It’s something pedestrians and bicyclists have been looking forward to for years.
“This would connect Manoa with Waikiki in a safe way, in an accessible way, whether you walk, ride or roll,” said Eduardo Hernandez, the advocacy director for the Hawaii Bicycling League.
But some didn’t like the way the bridge would look.
“It’s too big and it’s designed for heavy traffic, basically,” said Mitsue Cook.
Some on the Moiliili side said they don’t want Waikiki’s problems coming to their neighborhood.
“The only thing that I can see it benefiting is anyone who’s stealing anything from the tourists inside Waikiki getting out quickly,” said area resident Shelley Oates-Wilding.
Others want the city to conduct a full environmental impact study.
“We have been settled on a full EIS, which means you have to do a full analysis of the neighborhood, of the people that live in the neighborhood, use the park and would be improved by having a bridge,” said Laura Ruby of the Ala Wai Mauka Community Association.
City transportation officials said they’ve already completed a less-stringent environmental assessment.
“Under the federal process, they then take a look at what we’ve done and then they make the determination, do we have to go do an EIS, or is the EA that we did sufficient to meet federal law,” said Morton.
Some are also worried about the $63 million price tag, although the federal government is providing at least $25 million of that.
The Army Corps of Engineers is also still planning a $1 billion flood mitigation project, calling for six to nine-foot high walls along the banks of the Ala Wai.
“If and when we have a bridge, and if and when we have a flood control, the two will marry up nicely,” said Morton.
After five years of permitting and studies, it could be another year or two before construction begins.
Another session will be held at Ala Wai Elementary this Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
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