By Staff Reports
(Honolulu) – In response to continued interest by the Waikīkī, Mōʻiliʻili, and McCully communities, the City and County of Honolulu’s Department of Transportation Services (DTS) is increasing community involvement in design of the Ala Wai Pedestrian Bridge (also known as Ala Pono) to help address community concerns. The Ala Pono Bridge project is led by DTS in partnership with the Hawaiʻi Department of Transportation (HDOT) and the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), and the additional community involvement opportunities will include the following:
- Using the “design-build” procurement process to solicit design alternatives to the current cable-stayed bridge design;
- Invitation of at least three National Historic Preservation Act Section 106 consulting party members to participate in the design-build procurement by providing recommendations to the evaluators as to the form of the proposed design alternatives; and
- Hosting two additional public charrettes/workshops to solicit additional feedback from the broader community on the preferred bridge design.
- Though not required by federal regulations, the City has also elected to provide an additional public comment period prior to the adoption of the final environmental document.
“The Ala Pono Pedestrian Bridge is a key component of the City’s Complete Streets network of bicycle and pedestrian paths,” said DTS Director Roger Morton. “This project has generated tremendous interest from the public regarding the final form of this new structure, and the City is committed to soliciting additional public input on the final form of the bridge.”
DTS also announced additional efforts will be taken to address specific concerns raised by the community through the environmental review process, including:
- Federal funding to reconfigure the existing comfort station adjacent to the proposed pedestrian bridge, to include additional facilities; and
- Local funding of $1 million for the construction of a new canoe hālau adjacent of the bridge. The hālau will be included in the design-build contract provided its construction does not impact the bridge’s schedule.
“The Hawai‘i Department of Transportation (HDOT) supports the City’s efforts in improving multimodal access for the Waikīkī, Moili‘ili, and McCully neighborhoods, and congratulates the City for the $25 million federal grant they received,” said HDOT Director Ed Sniffen. “We encourage all members of these communities to provide feedback on the project to ensure it provides the biggest benefit. This is a City project, and the State is committed to working with all partners to build out the bicycle and pedestrian networks needed to maximize transportation choice for all roadway users.”
The proposed Ala Pono bridge will be aligned with University Avenue on the Mōʻiliʻili side of the Ala Wai canal and Kalaimoku Street on the Waikīkī side. In 2019, as part of the environmental review process development, an Alternatives Analysis looked at different bridge types and configurations and solicited public input on the preferred alternative. In 2021, the draft Environmental Assessment was released, and in 2023, the City was awarded a $25 million discretionary grant to offset the estimated $63 million cost of the bridge. Additional federal formula-based funds will bridge the federal share of the bridge’s cost to 80%. The remaining 20% local match will be provided by City funds.
The two workshops will be held on November 20 and November 23, to ensure maximum availability for the impacted communities. The workshop location will be posted via Ala Pono website once confirmed. During these workshops, the public will be presented with a variety of bridge types with the intent of soliciting feedback on the preferred form of the proposed bridge. Results from the workshops will be summarized for inclusion in the Design-Build Request for Proposal (RFP). The RFP is expected to be issued in 2025 and a contract awarded later that same year. Construction is expected to last three years.
For more information on Ala Wai Pedestrian Bridge, please visit: https://www8.honolulu.gov/dts/ala-pono/