Posted on: Tuesday, June 1, 2004

EDITORIAL
Ha'iku Stairs feud has become a drag

Stairs or anti-stairs? That's been the breakdown of sentiment in the neighborhoods around the popular Ha'iku Stairs trailhead that has been closed because of access conflicts since 2002.

And clearly, a new entrance to the 3,922-step metal stairway ascending the Ko'olau pali, with parking and other amenities, would go a long way to resolve this bitter feud.

Permanently closing the "Stairway to Heaven," after the city spent $875,000 repairing the stairs, would be wasteful and defeatist. Besides, hikers have no qualms about trespassing — cutting through yards and climbing fences — to get to the trail, so it may as well be open to the public once a new access route is established.

So we're encouraged to hear that the state Department of Hawaiian Home Lands is "very close" to an agreement that would give the city access to Ha'iku Stairs, and that it will not go along with the Legislature's proposed resolution to deny access until an exhaustive list of conditions are met.

The city and DHHL have been negotiating a land swap that would enable the city to build a parking lot and other amenities for hikers, and keep them from disturbing Ha'iku residents.

We urge the city, DHHL and other relevant state agencies to work together to create a new access area to Ha'iku Stairs. Shutting off this spectacular trail will only draw more defiant hikers to the area and further polarize the neighborhood's stairs and anti-stairs factions.