Drive Time
Wai'alae bike lanes will be welcome sight
By Scott Ishikawa
Advertiser Transportation Writer
As part of the state's long-term H-1 Corridor project, construction of bicycle lanes along Wai'alae Avenue will start in July or August.
Contractor Grace Pacific is wrapping up project details with the state Department of Transportation and should be given notice to proceed on work soon.
The $1 million bike lane project pleases Eve DeCoursey of the Hawai'i Bicycling League, whose organization has pushed for more designated bike lanes.
DeCoursey said many bicyclists are intimidated when it comes to commuting long distances. One major reason is a lack of continuous bike routes along O'ahu's main roadways into Honolulu that forces bicycle riders to mix with traffic.
DeCoursey is also happy the city and Kapi'olani Community College are working together on a bike "park" near the college's Diamond Head campus. The facility will have bike racks, showers, lockers and changing rooms.
"It's good because many bicyclists like to congregate near Diamond Head," DeCoursey said. "They like to begin training near Diamond Head and most of them head towards Sandy Beach, so it would be a good ideal place to change clothes.
"Runners like to train around Diamond Head, so the park will be a good place for them, too," she said.
Q. Where will the state's bike lane project run along Wai'alae Avenue?
A. The work area, approximately a mile long, will run from Keala'olu Avenue to Kalaniana'ole Highway, and from 17th Avenue to 21st Avenue.
DeCoursey said a bike lane between 17th and 21st Avenue is particularly important, especially in the kokohead direction.
"You're riding a poorly paved hill and merging with traffic just coming off the freeway going 55 mph," DeCoursey said.
Q. What will the project work include?
A. Widening shoulders to provide 3-foot to 6-foot-wide bicycle lanes and continue the bicycle lane along the pedestrian overpass.
Work also includes paving, improving guardrails, reconstructing curbs, installing signs and other miscellaneous work.
Q. So what is the status of the bike park near Kapi'olani Community College?
A. City transportation director Cheryl Soon says the Diamond Head bike staging area is in design, and city is developing a use agreement with the community college.
There's no price estimate yet on the proposed bike park, but the city's area vision team dedicated $490,000 of its money toward construction. The city will have a better estimate of the total cost when they finish the design work.
Reporter Scott Ishikawa covers transportation issues. You can call him at 525-8070, write him at The Advertiser, P.O. Box 3110, Honolulu, HI 96802 or e-mail sishikawa@honoluluadvertiser.com.
