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COURTESY BRITTNEE YEE
The 3,922-step trail, created by the Navy in the early 1940s, was open to the public but was shut down in 1987 due to vandalism and liability concerns. Hikers still visit Haiku Stairs despite the risk of being cited for trespassing.
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The Honolulu Board of Water Supply is asking the public for comments on options for the Haiku Stairs, including a proposal to demolish the popular hiking trail.
The board is preparing an environmental impact statement that puts forward as its proposed action removing the trail, also known as the Stairway to Heaven, along with three alternative plans that would allow the trail to remain.
Public comments are due Tuesday, and the board said feedback will help to draft the environmental impact statement.
The 3,922-step trail, created by the Navy in the early 1940s, was open to the public but was shut down in 1987 due to vandalism and liability concerns. Hikers still visit the popular trail despite the risk of being cited for trespassing.
Area residents have raised several concerns that hikers trespass on their property, trash their community and get into confrontations with them. But the nonprofit Friends of Haiku Stairs is urging the board not to remove the trail.
Board officials have said that keeping the stairs open and maintaining them are beyond the scope of their work. But the board pledged that it would remain open to community feedback. Visit boardofwatersupply.com/community/haiku-stairs. Submit comments to haikustairs@g70.design.