Residents said the suspension footbridge across Hanapepe River was jumping and jolting alarmingly during the storm. While the sturdy steel cables that hold it together survived the storm just fine, the wooden footpath ripped loose from the landing at the top of the stairway that leads to the bridge.

County officials nailed up a "Keep Off" sign until repairs could be made, but neighborhood kids and visitors quickly pulled the sign aside, and some of them step past the yellow caution tape, hop across the space and go out onto the bridge anyway.

Artist Joanna Carolan, who operates the Banana Patch Studio next to the bridge, said she has tried putting the sign back up and explaining the hazard to visitors, without much success. Eventually, her main concern was that someone would get hurt by the exposed nails on the back of the torn-out "Keep Off" sign.

A county crew last week made temporary repairs, reconnecting the walkway to the landing, but reinstalled the "Keep Off" sign. Within a day, the sign was leaning against a hedge, and tourists were back on the bridge.

County public works official Al Afos said the county hopes to have the bridge officially fixed and open within a few days.

British visitor Giles Raine on Friday said the footbridge was on his list of things to see, having spotted it in the "Lonely Planet" travel guide to Kaua'i.

He said he enjoyed the bucolic scenery and the quiet sway of the bridge over the Hanapepe River, but worried just a little about its sturdiness.

"It's not very robust, is it?" he said.