Transportation
takes input on
transit plans

Harris talked about a
possible at-grade electric trolley
or light-rail system

By Harold Morse
Star-Bulletin

Bike-friendly streets and a bike path across the Ala Wai.

Bus shelters in Manoa and relief of traffic in Kalihi Palama.

Those were some of the interests expressed by groups of residents last night at a transportation planning meeting at Ala Moana Hotel.

Light-rail transit and other initiatives drew some 300 participants, and Mayor Jeremy Harris said intensive transportation planning will be a joint state and city undertaking between now and January, with many of the ideas coming from the community.

Key government officials are promising to listen to Oahu residents before finalizing transit plans for the island as part of Oahu Trans 2K.

Participants were broken down into different regional groups.

John Steelquist, representing the group from Makiki, Manoa and Moiliili, said although the group favored the bikeway across the Ala Wai, it received a cool reaction from people who live near the canal.

More parks and additional parking in Manoa got backing, he said.

"We want bus shelters in Manoa," added Shevaun Low.

"We want to change King and Beretania to two-way traffic," she said. "We like the bike-boulevard concept along Young Street."

"Much of our forum was on how to get the traffic out of Kalihi," said Ken Harding, representing the Kalihi-Palama group.

Harding said the group would encourage the Sand Island bypass to separate through traffic from local traffic. "Our bottom line is preserving the sense of community in Kalihi-Palama."

Electric outrigger gondolas on the Ala Wai got a plug from Rodger Snow -- from the group for Waikiki and Kaimuki. He also backed a pathway across the Ala Wai to extend from Seaside Avenue, the "lei of parks" in the city's recently completed bicycle plan and an elevated monorail to go all around Waikiki.

Harris talked about a possible at-grade electric trolley or light-rail system moving people from Pearl City to the University, downtown, Kalihi and Waikiki, with expanded bus service and more zipper lanes to speed the flow in an integrated system utilizing water taxis, ferries and bicycle routes.

Circulating buses within communities and using shuttle buses and express buses were suggested in a six-minute video.

Cheryl Soon, city transportation director, said all ideas will be put together and analyzed, then brought back to participants in a Nov. 4 meeting at Farrington High School.

Other preliminary transportation meetings take place from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. today at Aiea High School and tomorrow at Kaiser High School.

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Cayetano wants city help
to redo Waikiki

By Richard Borecca
Star-Bulletin

Envisioning a river walk along the banks of the Ala Wai and broad Central Park-like open spaces on land now occupied by the Ala Wai Golf Course and Honolulu Zoo, Gov. Ben Cayetano wants the city and state to form a new planning or improvement agency to remodel Waikiki.

In discussions with reporters yesterday after a noon speech in Waikiki, Cayetano said he and Mayor Jeremy Harris want the city and state to combine forces to make Waikiki a separate district, governed by a separate body.

"The ideas are endless," Cayetano said.

"Right now, the only thing I have in my head is to develop a political process so people can develop the vision, raise the money (and) exercise the power to make the vision a reality."

The idea, however, worries Waikiki Councilman Duke Bainum who says the best way would be to allow the city to just designate the area as a business improvement district.

Bainum fears the joint city-state authority would turn into something like the Hawaii Community Development Agency, which has been in charge of redeveloping Kakaako.

"Do I want more cooperation, yes; do I want another Kakaako District, heck no," Bainum said.

Harris said the city is working with a business improvement district model, that would allow private business in Waikiki to levy a tax upon itself to fund improvements.

"He and I have been talking about ways we can pool city and state resources," Cayetano said.

Harris agreed with Cayetano's idea that the popular, but small and crowded, Ala Wai Golf Course someday will have to give way to better use. But Harris stressed the golf course would not be replaced until a new city course is opened somewhere else.

"We just started talking about all the wonderful things that are possible when you work together," Harris said.

"The governor and I talked about it three days, where we go from here; we are sort of chewing the fat," he said.

City Council Chairman Mufi Hannemann said he liked the idea, noting that it is similar to one that the Council has been working on for several months.

"The Council has been batting this idea around, so the fact that the governor has stepped up front is welcome news," Hannemann said.

He agreed with Cayetano's idea to turn the Ala Wai into a river walk, similar to the popular one in San Antonio, Texas. Hannemann added that he would like to see more planning that would allow Waikiki to have more sidewalk cafes, open-air dining and more places for people to walk.