It’s not necessary to close Laniakea support park

The importance of public coastal access and the availability of recreational and cultural activities for Hawaii’s families are widely acknowledged. Parks on Oahu’s North Shore play an essential role in providing these opportunities.

Despite widespread community support for keeping the "Laniakea support park" open to the public, the state Department of Transportation (DOT) is moving ahead with plans to block off the city Parks Department-owned, 3-acre site. DOT will remove approximately 75 actively used parking spaces at Laniakea by placing barricades along Kamehameha Highway.

An islandwide coalition is growing to protect Laniakea because DOT’s plan will dramatically limit beach access to Oahu’s local surfers, families and visitors. But there are alternatives that will effectively improve the flow of traffic and the safety of pedestrians.

First, immediately increase the enforcement of existing rules designed to prevent tour buses from illegally parking and dropping off large groups of passengers. Many operators do not follow the rules, but the Honolulu Police Department is making progress on educating them.

Other preferred options include: installing a crosswalk; moving the highway to the mauka side of the current park so parking will be on the makai side; creating a single exit and entrance to the existing parking lot; and better managing access points to the beach.

The 3-acre Laniakea Support Park, while predominantly undeveloped, still serves as a location historically known for the ready access it provides for ocean users. About one acre of the park is a clear and open parking area utilized for more than 40 years by a variety of users. An additional contiguous two acres are also owned by the city Parks Department and are readily available once the fence of the neighboring private ranch is removed.

Barricading the public from their parks and beaches, paid for by their tax dollars, is simply wrong.

At recent meetings of the North Shore Neighborhood Board, the North Shore Chamber of Commerce and the DOT’s own Laniakea Realignment Task Force, the DOT’s proposal for blocking the park was not supported. Instead, the community supported the park and the options mentioned above. As a boost to this community support, Mayor Kirk Caldwell stated his preference for preserving the parking at his recent town hall meeting in Kahuku.

Limitations on the availability of parking and areas for the unloading of ocean gear — surfboards, kayaks, dive gear, etc. — are significant constraints on public ocean access on Oahu, particularly on the North Shore. Traffic along Kamehameha Highway between Haleiwa and Turtle Bay, therefore, often backs up, largely when people are slowing down along this stretch looking for parking and ocean access.

In addition, closure of the park with barriers will present increased pedestrian danger, as the already-narrow highway provides limited areas to safely walk to access the Laniakea ocean area. This is presuming suitable parking can be found somewhere parallel to the busy roadway.

In summary, the DOT’s blocking of the 3-acre, city-owned Laniakea support park will have several adverse effects:

» Loss of a significant public resource.

» Creation of a dangerous condition for people forced to walk long distances along the narrow shoulder of Kamehameha Highway.

» Setting of dangerous and erroneous precedent regarding dedicated park land.

» Limiting the ability of families and ocean users to access the ocean.

As more visitors come to the North Shore, continued public beach access and the availability of activities for families in this region are increasingly critical.

The DOT and the city Parks Department must recognize there are alternatives, such as a crosswalk, to the unprecedented park closure.

Oahu’s families and visitors deserve better.