Community meetings will discuss canal crossing

The city is seeking public feedback on whether a new crossing should be planned for the Ala Wai Canal to connect Waikiki, Ala Moana and the McCully/Moiliili neighborhoods.

Community meetings will be held at the Ala Wai Elementary School cafeteria, 503 Kamoku St., from 1 to ­ 3 p.m. Saturday and 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Monday.

Nicola Szibbo, a city transportation planner, said the city wants to share the results of a study on Ala Pono, an Ala Wai crossing. A range of alternatives are being considered, including building a bridge for pedestrians, bicycles and emergency response; making modifications or enhancements to one or more of the existing bridges; or keeping the status quo.

“Several alternatives are being considered based on the needs and safety of all community users,” Szibbo said.

Proponents of a new crossing say it could shorten travel distance between Waikiki and surrounding communities by as much as a mile, saving bicyclists at least 10 minutes and pedestrians 20 minutes each way. Supporters also say it could increase safety by reducing car and bike collisions and providing alternative access for emergency evacuations.

Waikiki resident Dave Moskowitz said he likes the idea because it would increase emergency access to the city’s most densely populated community.

Teri Orton, general manager of the Hawai‘i Convention Center, said the center doesn’t have an official position on the project; however, she personally supports the idea.

“I think it’s a great idea. I’d like to see the whole Ala Wai Canal redeveloped. I think it could be just as nice as the River Walk in San Antonio, Texas,” Orton said. “I think it’s a beautiful space that has the potential to be utilized much differently.”

However, not everyone supports the idea, which has been a topic of controversy for years, said Diamond Head resident Linda Wong.

“I’m against it. I don’t want to expand Waikiki over the bridge into other neighborhoods,” Wong said. “I think a crossing would bring hard-core Waikiki crime into residential areas. I also worry that people going to Waikiki would start parking their cars in our surrounding neighborhoods.”

While the crossing has been a topic of conversation for years, it resurfaced recently as part of the city’s Complete Streets initiative, which Szibbo said aims to create a “network of streets that are safe and convenient” for “people traveling by foot, bicycle, transit or automobile, and of all ages and abilities.”

If the public meetings move the project forward, the city’s timeline estimates that a draft environmental assessment could be released in the spring with construction expected to begin around summer of 2022.

For more information, contact Szibbo at 768-8359 or nicola.szibbo@honolulu.gov. Requests for special accommodations to attend the meeting must be made one week in advance.