Bike lane planned for South Street draws resistance

Honolulu’s second protected bicycle lane is slated to be installed on South Street by the end of the year — a move that will provide safer options for bicyclists, but one that’s already facing pushback from nearby businesses.

Mayor Kirk-Caldwell unveiled early plans Friday for the new mauka-makai spur while flanked by local firefighters stationed on South Street and members of the Hawaii Bicycling league. The lane, also known as a cycle track, would run on the Ewa side of South Street, from King Street to Ala Moana Boulevard. The route would link the new bike lane to the city’s existing protected bike lane at King Street and to the unprotected bike route on Ala Moana Boulevard.

The new mauka-makai spur would run in both directions, according to transit officials. They don’t plan to install the concrete parking berms that run along the King Street route. Instead, the lane would have lane-divider poles and road striping, they said. They’re still not sure whether there will be parking on the outside of the lane.

City officials will hold a public meeting 6 to 8 p.m. Tuesday at the Neal S. Blaisdell Center to take input on the plan.

Last year’s installation of the King Street protected bike lane was met with stiff resistance by many drivers. "For us it was the most controversial thing we touched — maybe even more controversial than rail or even homelessness," Caldwell said Friday. "We had more input and feedback on putting a protected bike lane on King Street than anything else."

But city officials say that adding mauka-makai spurs will make the protected bike lanes more practical and encourage more residents to commute via bike. The number of cyclists on King Street has nearly doubled since the protected lane was installed there, going from about 400 rides during the day to just under 800 currently, according to city data presented at Friday’s news briefing.

The number of riders who use the sidewalk on King Street has dropped from 300 a day prior to the protected lane to fewer than 100, the data showed. Department of Transportation Services Director Mike Formby said there have only been "minor accidents" reported on the cycle track.

The new protected lane already faces some resistance, too. Waterfront Plaza/Restaurant Row complex management has expressed opposition to the South Street plan, stating in an Aug. 3 letter to the city that its bike lane proposal would remove a key loading zone plus "cause a dangerous situation" for cars entering and exiting the building. Steven Sullivan, the complex’s vice president for operations, suggested using Cooke Street or Ward Avenue instead. He called the proposal "ill-conceived." Sullivan’s Aug. 3 letter further states that the lane would case a "traffic nightmare" for vehicles looking to turn right from South Street onto Ala Moana Boulevard.

The Star-Advertiser is a tenant at Waterfront Plaza.

At Friday’s press briefing Formby said that putting the lane on the Ewa side of the street would allow cyclists to safely connect with the existing cycle track without having to dodge cars turning right onto King.

Local bicycling advocates say the South Street lane would be a big leap forward for local cyclists. "This is the sort of infrastructure we need. We can’t support it enough," said Daniel Alexander, who serves as advocacy, planning and communication director for the Hawaii Bicycling League. "We need a minimum grid that brings one within a reasonable distance of everyone in urban Honolulu … and we think that’s going to make cycling safe, accessible and convenient to everyone who wants to do it."