The $27 million project would have a bikeway from Victoria Street to Isenberg Street. However all the money is not in place, and the rest of the project is still being designed.

The first $1 million phase — from Victoria to Pensacola streets — now will remove only eight parking spaces on one side of the street, Sayers said. The city will add bike lanes in both directions, and will resurface streets, repair sidewalks and put in curb ramps for wheelchair accessibility.

The project's chief opponent, Young Street Coalition president Francis Kaneshiro, wants the city to do an environmental analysis before extending the bikeway all the way to Isenberg. His group has several concerns, including a fear that the median will be added back into future plans. Their other concerns include:

• Loss of parking during construction and once the bikeway is built.

• Landscaping that may damage sidewalks and provide a place for the homeless and muggers to hide.

• Closer to Isenberg, Young Street becomes more industrial with no parking or sidewalks and bike lanes will reduce a narrow roadway.

But Chuck Rosa-Coleman, executive director of the Hawai'i Bicycling League, said the opponents don't realize that "it's not exactly a bicycle project, per se, as it is a neighborhood improvement project."

When construction is complete, neighboring businesses will find their drainage has been improved, their sewage has been upgraded and the area will be attractively landscaped, he said.

In addition, parking will be regulated in a way that helps businesses, and official loading zones will be created. "It should be a huge improvement for everyone involved," he said.

Kaneshiro said his group is concerned about the effect on traffic, especially since during rush hour "Young becomes the fifth lane for Beretania and King. Why would they want to narrow the street down when they're faced with such an overload?" he asked.

Rosa-Coleman responded that calming Young Street and discouraging the overflow traffic is part of the plan.

Linda Moreneau, office manager for Hawai'i Professional Audiology, which is on King Street and has parking on Young, was primarily concerned with the median strip and said otherwise her business will not be affected.

However, she wonders why the bikeway would go through an industrial area. "I'd be afraid to ride my bike," she said. "You've got deliveries all over the street, and a lot of driveways."

Customers are having difficulty finding their way to Needlepoint Etc., a King Street business with parking on Young. With construction near the entrance to the parking lot, "They think the parking area is closed," said owner Louise Schubert.

Robert Tabares, 55, who works in the parking lot for 1040 South King, said people have been trying to park in the lot when they can't find street parking, but there is no space for them.

Tabares, who rides his bike to work from his home at the far end of Mo'ili'ili, said the bikeway would be better on Beretania, so people could go straight through to downtown.

But he agrees with the need for bike lanes, "The way people drive, I've been run over three times," he said. Once he was hospitalized with a broken collarbone.

Sayers said the city will be sensitive to removing only parking spaces that would have the least effect and will employ the same sensitivity in maintaining well-used loading zones.

After this outcry, Sayers said, "For the next phases, we will have more public input and work with the community."