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The Honolulu Advertiser

Updated at 12:17 p.m., Tuesday, January 2, 2007

City asks for ideas on making O'ahu more bike friendly

By Catherine E. Toth
Advertiser Staff Writer

Starting today, the city will strive to make O'ahu more pedestrian- and bicycle-friendly.

But it needs your help.

Residents are encouraged to submit suggestions to help implement the charter amendment passed in November.

Advocacy organizations, including the Sierra Club, AARP and the Hawai'i Bicycle League, have created a Web site — www.bikewalkhonolulu.org — that invites residents to offer their ideas on how Honolulu can be more bike- and pedestrian-friendly.

The public is urged to submit their ideas before Jan. 27. Responses will be condensed and published on the Web site in February.

"This is a tremendous opportunity to improve the quality of life for all O'ahu residents," said Kristi Schulenberg, executive director of the Hawai'i Bicycling League, in a press release. "We want to cast the net wide and tap into the wealth of local knowledge from folks that walk, bike and drive this island every day."

More than 77 percent of voters supported the charter amendment to make the roadways safer for bicycles and pedestrians.

"This is clearly an important issue for voters on O'ahu," said Jeff Mikulina, director of the Sierra Club, Hawai'i Chapter, in a press release. "We want to work closely with the city administration to make sure Honolulu goes through the necessary transformation to make it bike- and pedestrian-friendly."

Honolulu ranks among the top cities for pedestrian and bicycle fatalities, with dozens killed annually. According to the National Center for Statistics & Analysis, Hawai'i has the fourth highest pedestrian fatality rate in the U.S. — 2.65 deaths per 100,000 population. The national average is 1.67.

Honolulu has the highest pedestrian fatality rate for seniors over the age 65.

"Making it safe for our kupuna and keiki to walk and ride their bikes on this island is of critical importance to their long-term health and quality of life," Mikulina said.

Reach Catherine E. Toth at 535-8103 or ctoth@honoluluadvertiser.com. Read The Daily Dish at blogs.honoluluadvertiser.com.