Meeting to address plan for Makaha Beach bridges

Following public opposition to replacing two eroded, 1937 wooden bridges on Farrington Highway at Makaha Beach with concrete bridges, and adding a temporary bypass road across the beach closer to the sea, the Hawaii Department of Transportation has modified its plan.

The public is invited to a virtual public meeting Wednesday night about the changes, which entail using prefabricated steel rather than concrete bridges, and the elimination of the bypass road. Instead, one lane of the highway will be kept open for two-way traffic, HDOT announced June 10.

The agency announced the changes “align with current (climate) resiliency goals and take community feedback into account,” will reduce construction time “and better reflects future plans to realign the highway.”

“My dad loves that because he was against having a temporary road closer to the sea,” said Makaha native Brian Keaulana, son of revered waterman Buffalo Keaulana, noting residents had feared the bypass road would be washed out by waves, leaving them stranded. Farrington Highway is the only road that connects Makaha and points west to supermarkets, medical treatment, workplaces and schools.

Keaulana said he and his father also appreciated HDOT’s recognition of the community’s decades-long effort to have Farrington Highway moved inland, away from Makaha Beach, which it runs across, forcing beachgoers to cross it to go to and from the restrooms and canoe hale.

He added the less expensive, steel bridges would meet public safety and transportation needs, while leaving open the possibility of realignment.

“I think the DOT listened to us, because, instead of going with a big ‘forever’ bridge, they went with the steel bridge, to build something safe to drive across that’s not going to last for eons,” he said.

“We’re never going to win against Mother Nature and the ocean, we deal with erosion every year,” he added, noting the ocean off Makaha is awash with concrete and steel from the eroded highway bridges.

“For us, (the bridge has) got to be temporary. I think DOT is doing the right things for now, but they need to get involved with the right things for rerouting,” Keaulana said.

Rerouting recently suffered a setback when the Oahu Metropolitan Planning Organization’s policy board voted May 25 to remove funding for a Farrington Highway Makaha Beach Realignment Feasibility Study from its fiscal year 2022 Overall Work Program, against the recommendation of the organization’s Citizen Advisory Committee.

In 2019-2020, draft summaries of existing cultural resources, natural resources and transportation existing conditions at Makaha Beach, with photographs of erosion along the highway, were completed for the feasibility study and can be read at oahumpo.org.

According to the minutes of Oahu MPO’s technical advisory committee meeting May 14, committee chair Ken Tatsuguchi, also head engineer for HDOT’s highway planning branch, “clarified that HDOT’s response was that the Makaha Beach Realignment Feasibility study is being tabled until construction funding is available.”

Tatsuguchi said there was not a set timeline for funding and that erosion projects “with higher priority” also had to be considered.

The study has been canceled.

“I am so disappointed with Oahu MPO,” Waianae resident Robert “Bunky” Bakutis said. “They’re putting their heads in the sand, and Waianae is once again the last priority.”

“There was public outcry” at the cancellation, Makaha resident Pieter Meinster said, noting that a petition signed by 1,800 residents was submitted last legislative session by Rep. Cedric Gates in support of H.R. 149 seeking the highway realignment, which passed the state House but died in the Senate.

The realignment, which was recommended in the 1998 Honolulu Master Plan, was not included on a list of 20 projects prioritized in the 2045 Oahu Regional Transportation Plan released this year.

NEW PLAN

To join the Hawaii Department of Transportation meeting:

>> Date: Wednesday, 6:30 p.m.

>> Link: hidot.hawaii.gov/blog/2021/06/10/virtual-public-meeting

>> Call: 1-808-829-4853 and enter Conference ID: 160 376 080#.

>> Written comments: Submit to makahabridges@qr-se.com through Friday.