Two new projects geared at pedestrians are heading to the Waikiki and Ala Moana areas.

Recently revived plans to build a pedestrian and bicycle bridge over the Ala Wai Canal, linking Waikiki to McCully, are moving forward.

“It’s been a dire need for 20 years. We just went through Hurricane Lane and Olivia. Had people had to evacuate out of Waikiki, there’s only 2 ways out. Those in the middle would be stuck without transportation,” said Waikiki Neighborhood Board chair Robert Finley.

City transportation officials will hold “Ala Pono on Ala Wai Crossing.” The community kick-off meetings will be held Saturday, September 22nd from 1:00pm – 3:00pm and Monday, September 24h from 6:30pm – 8:30pm at the Ala Wai Elementary School cafeteria on 503 Kamoku Street.

The meeting will go over a study conducted by city officials on a prospective bridge, as well as seek the public’s input on alternatives.

“The city has to present what the alternatives are, whether to build it or not, which location it should be in,” explained Finley.

Further down the canal is the Ala Wai Promenade, a 0.3 mile tree-lined walkway between the Ala Wai Canal and the Hawaii Convention Center.

“There’s nowhere like it in the city,” said Waikiki resident Brian Bagnall. “It’s just a gorgeous place to walk and be peaceful and be very happy here.”

Bagnall and Ala Moana Neighborhood Board Chair Ryan Tam say the promenade is highly underutilized, and want to bring more foot traffic to the space over the next year.

They’re envisioning coffee carts, small food vendors, musicians, and artists.

“We could turn it into a light show at night during the holidays. Do an art show, like the Honolulu Zoo,” said Tam.

City council members Trevor Ozawa and Ann Kobayashi funneled $100,000 from the Capitol Improvement Projects budget to fix up the space.

“We’re so short of park space in Honolulu, these types of urban amenities is things we need and things that make a city great,” said Tam.

“We need people with ideas to activate it. Artists, people who want to do occasional music here, this is a beautiful place. People who love it, let us know,” said Bagnall.

The Ala Moana/Kakaako neighborhood board meets every 4th Tuesday of the month at the Makiki Christian Church, at 829 Pensacola Street, starting at 7pm.

