I understand the city has received $25 million in federal funding toward the construction of the planned Ala Wai pedestrian bridge, which is expected to cost more than $60 million to design and construct. The proposed bridge seems to be supported by cables, like the Golden Gate Bridge.

It may look nice, but I wonder if this is a wise decision. I assume the cables will be made of steel. We all know what happened to Aloha Stadium, which has been deemed unsafe to use. How much will it cost to inspect and maintain this bridge to keep it safe to use for many years? Has that cost been considered in coming up with this scheme?

Our state and city government agencies are notorious for building facilities and not maintaining them. Besides the stadium, another project that looked like a great idea was the water feature around the state Capitol. That has turned out to be a major maintenance problem.

I think the planned Ala Wai bridge will be costly to maintain. I think the federal and county funds could be better spent elsewhere.

Phil Alencastre

St. Louis Heights

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