City officials announced today the availability of protected bike lanes running both ways along Ward Avenue as part of the city’s commitment to its “Honolulu Complete Streets” initiative to improve safety for all roadway users.

The protected bike lanes run in both the mauka and makai directions — with one lane in each direction — on Ward between King Street and Ala Moana Boulevard.

The Ward Avenue lanes connect to the King Street protected bikeway, which connects bicyclists eastbound to Moiliili or westbound to Honolulu’s Civic Center campus. They are intended to connect the urban core with the commercial, retail and residential destinations of Kakaako, according to Honolulu’s Department of Transportation Services in a news release.

”Residents and visitors will be able to take advantage of new connections to shopping, work, and play,” said Honolulu DTS. “Providing safe, protected bike lanes gives commuters more options to travel, without having to worry about parking or traffic congestion. Creating a network of comfortable bicycle facilities throughout Honolulu will reduce the dependence of personal motor vehicles, which will help reduce traffic congestion, travel times, pedestrian and vehicle collisions, and greenhouse gas emissions.”

After Honolulu’s first protected bikeway on South King Steet was installed in 2014, the corridor experienced a 50% reduction in pedestrian-vehicle collisions, according to city officials.

Although it met with resistance, officials said the King Street bikeway dramatically reduced the number of bicyclists riding on sidewalks and increased the awareness of drivers making turns.

“The City is anticipating similar safety benefits along Ward Avenue, in addition to improved visibility of all roadway users,” officials said in the news release.

The South Street protected bikeway was installed in 2017, followed by the Pensacola protected bikeway in September 2020. Additional protected bike lanes are proposed for the downtown and Kakaako area.