City stuck with a devil of a dilemma

THE ISSUE The state has again rejected the city's offer to give over the costly "Stairway to Heaven" in Haiku.

THE city is finding ownership of the so-called "Stairway to Heaven" in Haiku a hellish dilemma. After four years of trying, the city has been unable to unravel the problem of gaining public access to the site, and its offers to turn over the 3,922-step staircase up a Koolau ridge to the state have been rebuffed.

Meanwhile, since 2003, a year after the stairway was repaired, taxpayers have been footing a $1,500-a-week bill for security to keep trespassers away.

This situation cannot continue. However, Mayor Mufi Hannemann and the City Council have few options that would satisfy those who want the stairway opened for public use or nearby residents whose neighborhood could be disrupted.

Hannemann is awaiting official word of rejection from the state to his second bid to hand over the stairway, which offers intrepid climbers panoramic views of Windward Oahu, before revealing his plans.

It is unlikely that Hannemann, whose stance has been to turn city operations to basic services, will opt to spend more money on the stairway that originally was built during World War II to reach a Navy radio facility, then used by the Coast Guard. In the late 1990s it was given to the city, which spent $1.2 million for repairs completed in 2002.

However, there was no public access to the base of the stairs, and several attempts to swap land with the state and private landowners fell through.

The state declined the city's offers because it, too, doesn't have the funds to maintain and staff the stairway. A private operator could be enlisted, but whether the attraction would be profitable is questionable because of liability problems, lack of parking and necessary limits on the number of climbers. If the city permanently closes the stairway, the metal steps should be removed, another costly venture.