The hearing, hosted by the state Department of Transportation at Puuhale Elementary School, drew about 150 people. Fourteen testified against the proposal; two supported the plan.
Kalihi businesses would suffer, traffic congestion would continue, and no benefit would come to Kalihi from a viaduct over the Nimitz medial, opponents said.
But state officials and consultants said something has to be done to speed traffic flow. Vehicle numbers continue to increase through the Nimitz corridor and overhead high-occupancy lanes will help move more people in fewer vehicles, they said.
The two-mile, $200 million project would extend from Keehi Interchange to the vicinity of Pier 16 and Awa Street. Built along the Nimitz medial strip, it would offer two or three elevated lanes reserved for high-occupancy vehicles during rush hours and would be open to other motorists otherwise.
"Nimitz has the second highest volume of traffic after H-1," said Richard Dahilig of Parsons Brinckerhoff Hirota Associates, state consultants. "Our traffic problem is getting worse, and it's not going away."
The state estimates that in 25 years Oahu's population will grow by 250,000. Many people are expected to commute to downtown and Waikiki from Leeward and Central Oahu in coming years, Dahilig said.
Addressing possible business losses, federal and state laws provide relocation assistance and payments to businesses affected by such highway projects, he said.
City Councilwoman Donna Mercado Kim opposed both the viaduct and a companion proposal to speed traffic through H-1 contra-flow and shoulderflow lanes.
Brent Hancock of Pacific Poultry Co. said the project would take parking and business away from the last local chicken processor on Oahu.
"The $200 million two-mile solution is extremely expensive, especially when you consider that it's no solution at all," said William Craddick.
Ron Jones of the Kalihi Business Association said in case of an accident on the viaduct it would be hard to get emergency vehicles and help to the scene.
Newly elected state Rep. Lei Ahu Isa said: "No man is an island, and we are all family; therefore, I urge you to consider Kalihi as family and not as a stepchild."
Randy Rush said wetlands in the Kalihi Stream-Keehi Lagoon system near Keehi Interchange need to be protected as they contribute to natural drainage.
Wayne Yoshioka, Parsons Brinckerhoff Hirota traffic engineer, denied the viaduct would only move the Keehi Interchange bottleneck two miles further toward downtown.
High-occupancy vehicle lanes would be continuous for the first time, and this would relieve bottlenecks, he said.