In an effort to make food takeout and delivery services more accessible, Honolulu Mayor Kirk Caldwell is providing some parking concessions for both brick-and-mortar and food wagon eateries who are still operating on Oahu in the midst of the coronavirus outbreak.

The city also announced the elimination of peak-traffic contra-flow policies on Kapiolani Boulevard and Ward Avenue and eliminating peak-traffic tow-away hours in residential neighborhoods along four major Honolulu thoroughfares.

Starting Wednesday through April 30, the city Department of Transportation will allow eateries with metered parking stalls in front of their businesses to place three, city-issued, “signed and marked” plastic bags over the meters of up to three stalls and reserve them for pickup and delivery tied to their operations, DTS Deputy Director Jon Nouchi said. They would be available to delivery drivers as well patrons seeking to pickup orders. Those stalls would be prohibited to the public for other uses.

The bag designations are not to specific restaurants so neighboring eateries could share the same stalls, Nouchi said. The bags will be distributed 2-4 p.m. daily through April 30 by DTS staffers stationed in front of Honolulu Hale. Restaurateurs will be asked to provide the name of their restaurants, addresses and contact information.

Also beginning Wednesday, operators of food trucks and lunchwagons will be able to obtain street usage permits allowing them to park in city-metered stalls without feeding the meters. “Food trucks are an important link to bring food into the communities especially as the stay-at-home order persists,” Nouchi said.

Nouchi asked that priority for metered street parking stalls be given to brick-and-mortar restaurants and he urged food truck operators to practice “aloha distancing.”

The permits will be available at the same DTS at Honolulu Hale from 2-4 p.m. daily at City Hall. Operators should bring their annual Department of Health permits and provide their business names, license plate numbers and contact information.

Gary Kurokawa, Caldwell’s chief of staff, said both initiatives are part of a focus on “having government get out of the way and seeing if we could facilitate how they can survive … we want to keep people employed as much as possible to allow the food chain to continue because it’s such an important thing going forward.”

Nouchi also announced:

> The suspension of peak-hour contraflow traffic coning of lanes along Kapiolani and Ward through April 30 starting Friday.

> The suspension of peak-hour no-parking prohibitions along South King Street (between South Street and University Avenue), South Beretania Street (between University and Ward Avenue) , Wilder Avenue (between Pensacola and Dole streets), and Date Street (between Kapiolani and Kapahulu Avenue). This will begin Friday. Other neighborhoods are also being considered, Nouchi said. Meters, when present, still need to fed.

> Closure of city streets for construction work during peak hours will be considered. Contractors are urged to contact Transportation Services.

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