Any city that’s serious about enabling multiple ways residents can get around has got to provide the connections. Certainly the advance of the long-proposed pedestrian/bike bridge crossing the Ala Wai Canal is a positive signal that Honolulu officials are committed to fulfilling that duty.

The bridge, aligning with University Avenue on the Moiliili side and Kalaimoku Street in Waikiki, faces its share of criticism from the mauka side of the canal. Residents there continue to express worry that the bridge would encourage more street traffic from Waikiki-bound drivers seeking a parking space.

Federal funds will cover most of the $650,000 planning costs for the bridge, with the city picking up $130,000, approved by the Honolulu City Council. There still needs to be careful consideration of construction costs before finalizing plans.

But on the merits of the project itself, the benefits seem likely to overcome concerns that the improvement would swamp neighboring communities, especially given that the city has long since abandoned the idea of making the canal crossing a bridge for motorized vehicles as well.

The search for ways to improve the circulation of Waikiki goes back decades. A 1970 Waikiki Traffic Study included a vehicular crossing at University Avenue among the recommended improvements aimed at reducing congestion in the tourism destination.

Causes for that problem, including high demand for curb parking and poor wayfinding signage to guide drivers to parking, still exist, according to the 2013 Waikiki Regional Circulator Study.

That study identified the University Avenue alignment as one of six proposed pedestrian/cycle bridge locations, including four crossing the canal.

But moving forward with a single bridge would be the wisest approach, at least initially. There is a legitimate complaint that too many crossings would disrupt the open vistas along the canal, and there may be diminishing returns on the investment in terms of traffic improvements.

Further, the University site is the most logical place to start. A bridge at that point would be a link between common cyclng routes and the potential location of a future rail stop.

The Hawaii Bicycling League is among the most vocal supporters of the plan, rightly pointing out that such connections are needed elements in a fully realized bicycle network in Honolulu’s urban core. That vote of confidence was echoed by members of the Waikiki Neighborhood Board, who also added that the crossing would add to the emergency evacuation routes.

The McCully-Moiliili Neighborhood Board has opposed the project but has not made a persuasive case that the connectivity with Waikiki would be harmful. Parking spaces on the streets in Moiliili is in short supply as it is, so it’s hard to see that this would be a draw for drivers to seek parking there and then make the long walk to a Waikiki destination.

Instead, it would encourage further growth of the community of cyclists by linking up the now-skeletal network of bike lanes across the city. And making cycling a more practical alternative should reduce traffic on the roads, not increase it.

This represents one step in implementing the city’s “Complete Streets” policy, enacted eight years ago. The mandate to transition to a more multimodal transportation and design approach, according to the city’s description, should yield a “comprehensive, integrated network of streets that are safe and convenient for all people whether traveling by foot, bicycle, transit, or automobile.”

The city should work to ensure that the bridge is attractive and well-lit — in many cities they are visual assets, not an eyesore. And this one could help crowded Honolulu function more smoothly, which should be a bottom-line goal for everyone.