Most vehicles that transport people and goods into and out of Waikiki use Ala Wai Boulevard. The city is proposing to replace one of its three lanes of vehicular traffic with a separated bike lane.

This proposal would significantly slow down the more than 10 million cars, trucks and buses that use Ala Wai Boulevard every year (including emergency vehicles), increase the number of accidents by forcing vehicles to merge and travel on two lanes, and cause huge traffic jams whenever an accident or breakdown occurs.

The proposal does not address the number of bikes that will use the new bike lane nor the alternative of expanding the existing walkway along the canal for use by both bikes and pedestrians.

Since motor vehicle users of Ala Wai outnumber bike users by more than 100 to 1, the city’s proposal isn’t a fair balance of interests and should be rejected.

Ed Springer

Waikiki