Pedestrians negotiated their way around construction work and traffic yesterday as they made their way down Kuhio Avenue in Waikiki.
Some say construction to make
sidewalks safer is creating
more danger for pedestrians
Kuhio Avenue is an obstacle course, forcing pedestrians to weave around trees, poles and construction while worrying about vehicles coming too close, Waikiki residents say.
"It's really dangerous," said Trina Pitts, who lives on Walina Road and frequently walks on Kuhio. "We're so close to traffic that you can touch the vehicles."
The city is trying to make Kuhio Avenue a safer street for pedestrians with wider sidewalks and grassy medians as a part of Waikiki's beautification plan, but some residents say it's becoming even more dangerous to walk.
"It's a little unclear where pedestrians are able to cross," said 51-year-old Debby Capellos, referring to detours from closed sidewalks. "I'm scared of being hit by a bus."
Construction crews have been closing sidewalks on the mauka side of Kuhio to widen it and to place new flagstones. Pedestrians are detoured onto the street through a narrow space with cones separating them from the construction trucks and traffic.
Walking on the partially completed sidewalks is like going through a maze, said Patrick Chun, general manager of the Holiday Surf Apartment-Hotel on Ala Wai.
Some Waikiki residents say that walks along Kuhio Avenue have become dangerous and time-consuming because of beautification work in the area.
Because the city is widening the sidewalks, city trees that were already there remain in the same spot, causing the tree to be right in the middle of the sidewalk."They didn't provide a wider sidewalk, they put in planter space. It's absolutely ridiculous," said Chun.
At the edge of the new and wider sidewalks, the city left strips of grass. Chun said the width between some trees and the grass or the trees and the edge of the sidewalk doesn't meet the 36-inch standard for use by wheelchairs.
But city spokeswoman Carol Costa maintains that the sidewalk meets Americans with Disabilities Act standards.
When the city begins revamping Ala Wai Boulevard next month, some anticipate more problems.
Flight attendant Capellos, who walked yesterday to pick up some small supplies from Food Pantry on Kanekapolei Street, said her walk from the Seaside Hotel, where she was staying, would have normally taken five minutes, but because of the construction, it took twice as long.
Sharon Chun added that the new trees the city is planting cause a hazard for drivers because they can't see pedestrians.
"With people being frustrated in traffic, trying to get around the buses and whatnot, they're not watching for pedestrians," she said.
The city is asking that the public be patient with the construction until it is completed in December.
"When it's complete, it'll be much more an improvement," said Costa. "I know the community will be pleased and they will like what they see."
Costa added the city is trying to complete the $19 million project as quickly as possible with two contractors working simultaneously from opposite ends of Kuhio. One contractor has already completed the mauka side and will be moving to work on the makai side, Costa said.
Not all pedestrians are complaining; some welcome the change and look forward to the results.
"I guess we have to grin and bear it all in the name of progress," said Lyn Rowland, 73, who walks with two canes and lives on Lewers Street. "Don't sweat the small stuff."
"I think in the end, it'll be gorgeous," Capellos said.
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Lane closures due to road
The state Department of Transportation announces the following work or lane closures:
construction this week
HALAWA
>> Left lane of H-3 freeway Honolulu-bound will be closed from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. tomorrow through Friday.
MAKAKILO
>> Makakilo Interchange ramp from Kapolei and the ramp from Makakilo direction may be closed intermittently from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. tomorrow through Friday.
>> The right lane of the H-1 freeway will be closed in the town-bound direction near the interchange from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. tomorrow through Friday.
>> The H-1 town-bound Makakilo ramp will be closed from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday and 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday.
MOILIILI
>> Right westbound lane of the H-1 freeway will be closed between the Kapiolani Avenue and King Street offramps from 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. tomorrow through Friday.
NANAKULI
>> Right lane of Farrington Highway from Nanakuli Avenue to Nanakuli Stream and right lanes in both directions of the highway from Princess Kahanu Avenue and Lualei Place will be closed from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. tomorrow through Friday.
WAIAHOLE
>> One lane of Kamehameha Highway between Waiahole Valley Road and Kaaawa Place in either direction will be closed alternately and contra-flowed from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. tomorrow through Friday.
WAIMALU
>> Right Ewa-bound lane of the H-1 freeway will be closed from the H-1/Moanalua Freeway merge to the Pearl City offramp from 10 p.m. to 4 a.m. tomorrow through Friday.
>> Left lane of Moanalua Road in Pearl City direction near Waiau Interchange will be closed 24 hours a day for two months for seismic retrofit work.
>> Shoulder lane of Pono Street will be closed from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. tomorrow through Friday.
>> Ponohale Street near Pono Street will be blocked off from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
>> Right mauka-bound lane of Kaahele Street will be closed 24 hours a day for several months to install columns for widened freeway.
www.state.hi.us/dot
