2017 Advocacy Year in Review & Looking Forward

As 2017 comes to a close, we have some big accomplishments to celebrate. We also have a year of strong advocacy that puts us in a good place for 2018 to be even better. But much, much more advocacy is going to be needed to ensure that we build a Hawai’i where everyone feels safe and comfortable to hop on a bike. – Daniel Alexander, Advocacy, Planning, & Communication Director, daniel@hbl.org, 808-735-5756

Bikeways, Bikeways, Bikeways

2017 was a big year in expanding our bikeway network. 8.9 miles of new bike lanes were implemented on Oahu. The advocacy of HBL and hundreds of advocates supported the realization of new bike lanes in Nānākuli, Kunia, Salt Lake,  Kaka‘ako, McCully/Mōʻiliʻili, Mililani, and Iwilei!

2017 new protected, buffered, and conventional bike lanes:

• McCully St – 0.5 miles of bike lanes
• Nanakuli Ave – 1.4 miles of climbing bike lane
• Haleakala Ave – 1.4 miles of climbing bike lane
• South St – 0.4 miles of protected bike lanes and 0.2 miles of conventional bike lanes
• Ala Napunani St – 1.2 miles of buffered bike lanes
• Iwilei Rd – 0.5 miles of buffered and conventional bike lanes
• Pacific St – 0.2 miles of bike lanes
• Kupuohi St – 0.6 miles of buffered and 0.2 of conventional bike lanes
• Kupuna Loop – 1.8 miles of bike lanes
• Ainamakua Dr – 0.5 miles of bike lanes

And the bike lanes are filling up! The City’s bike counts on South Street show a 381% increase with the protected bike lane in just a few short months! It went from 55 (before) to 265 (after) bicyclists in an average 12 hour period (6:30a-6:30p).

But Where Do I Park My Bike???

Every bike trip must to come an end and that’s where quality bike parking is needed. Unfortunately, not all businesses have seen the light on the importance of providing bike parking to serve customers arriving by bike. The new bike parking ordinance will solve this for future development – it requires that short and long-term bike parking be provided in any new commercial, office, and apartment buildings. We also launched on Bike Parking Advocates program to get to all does existing businesses to put in bike parking.

Go Biki!!!

The launch of Honolulu’s new public bikeshare system Biki with 1,000 bikes and 100 stations spread across the year between Chinatown and Kapahulu. With over 2,000 rides everyday Biki is spreading the awesomeness of cycling to thousands. The non-profit organization Bikeshare Hawaii is behind Biki and they are looking towards a summer 2018 expansion.

Planning for Bikeways & Complete Streets

Throughout 2017 the strong turn-out of advocates at bikeway and Complete Streets public meetings has set the stage for big bikeway implementation in 2018. A giant Thank You to everyone that showed up and spoke up at one or more of these project meetings! Click on the names below to read more about each project.

• Downtown/Chinatown – The City is going to be repaving many of the streets in Downtown and Chinatown and in accordance with our Complete Streets law they will making improvements to the streets to make them safely accommodate walking and biking, not just driving. The big items for biking are a Bishop St 2-way protected bike lanes, Queen St bike lanes, and one-way bike lanes on Richards St and Bethel St. Implementation is a ways off at 2019-2020.
• ‘Aiea – The City is planning a “road diet” transformation of Kaonohi St that will change the road from 2 lanes in each direction to 1 lane in each direction, a center left turn lane, and bike lanes. This will be implemented with the resurfacing of the street in the coming months.
• Date St – A “road diet” on Date St will create bike lanes extending west from the end of the bike path at the Manoa/Palolo Stream Bridge. The road diet will also improve pedestrian safety at several heavily used unsignalized crosswalks. This big connection will be implemented with the street resurfacing.
• Waipahu – Waipahu is set to get a lot more bicycle-friendly with bike lanes on three important streets – Leoku St, Waipahu St, and Paiwa St.
• Honolulu Urban Core – Still time to get involved on this one – click here to comment online. This Complete Streets implementation covers some of the biggest and most important streets in Urban Honolulu and provides the opportunity to transform Honolulu into a truly bike-friendly city. Some of the big items moving forward – Pensacola St protected bike lanes, King Street protected bike lanes extensions, Punchbowl St protected bike lanes, and Ward Ave protected bike lanes.
• Nu’uanu/Liliha – The City is looking at Complete Streets bicycle and pedestrian improvements to Liliha St and Nuunau Ave. The planning and community engagement process is still underway, so get involved if you care about it!

Budget – Following the Money

The City passed a strong budget with $8M for bikeways and Complete Streets. With $2.76M in the bikeway fund, this will allow for implementation of several bikeways. The budget also includes a major Complete Streets transformation of Papipi Rd in Ewa Beach.

Leeward Bikeway

The Leeward Bikeway will be transformative for thousands in Leeward Oahu and it’s been one of our key advocacy focuses. After a big push to build a 1,000+ list of supporters and formal support from all 7 neighborhood boards in the area, we’ve made clear the strong community support for the Leeward Bikeway. As 2017 comes to an end, it brings both good and bad news. Good – the Phase I section is nearing reality and has minimal hurdles left to becoming a reality. Bad – the Phase II section is being deferred. We’re not giving up on the need for the FULL Leeward Bikeway as soon as possible and will be pushing even harder in coming year. Click here to read more.

We Need You Involved!

As busy as 2017 was, 2018 will be even busier.  It’s a lot but showing up to meetings and speak up in support of bikes is what is pushing great things forward – every project needs to go before the community and needs support. Make sure you’re on the Bike Advocates list so you get the latest when support is needed and how to take action and make a difference.

O’ahu Bike Plan Update

The O’ahu Bike Plan guides the development of a connected, safe bikeway network all over O’ahu. It’s being updated for the first time since 2012. This is a crucial opportunity to make sure the plan has everything in it to guide us to a truly bicycle friendly O’ahu.

1. Input your comments at the online map.
2. Take the online survey.
3. Last, but most important! Show up to the public workshop in your area of O’ahu. 
   1. Windward – TUE 1/16/18 6:00-8:00pm at Kailua Recreation Center (map)
   2. Central/North Shore – THU 1/18/18 6:00-8:00pm at Wahiawa District Park (map)
   3. Honolulu – THU 1/25/18 6:00-8:00pm at Neil Blaisdell Center, Hawaii Suites (map)
   4. Leeward – TUE 1/30/18 6:00-8:00pm at Kapolei Hale, Conference Room A & B (map)

Let’s Make These Projects a Reality

Some big items are moving towards realization, but we’re going your help pushing to make these a reality:

• Pensacola Street protected bike lanes – This still has to go before the Makiki Neighborhood Board, likely in January or February, and we’ll need as many supporters out as we can get.
• Date Street bike lanes – This isn’t final and might need another big turn-out of support.
• Ward Avenue protected bike lanes – The Urban Core Complete Streets project has this moving forward but it’s got to go before the Ala Moana/Kakaako Neighborhood Board before the it’s final.

And there will be more!

Complete Streets Implementation Plans Moving Forward Around the Island

In advance of planned resurfacings the City is going to be doing Complete Streets planning for a large number of streets covering areas in Kailua, Kalihi, Kāneʻohe, Nu’uanu/Liliha, Pearl City, UH Mānoa area, and Waikīkī. Collectively, these projects and the many streets included in the them provide the opportunity to transform our island into a much more bicycle friendly community. Get involved in your neighborhood!

Let’s Make 3 Feet the Law

We’re going to build on last year’s advocacy to have a big at the state legislature bring 3 Feet Safe Passing into law. We’ve been working with Honolulu Police Department and Hawaii Department of Transportation to get their support and it’s looking positive. But we are going to need a lot of support in testimony, calls, and emails. Make sure you’re on the Bike Advocates list so you get the latest when support is needed and how to take action and make a difference.