Initial efforts by the State Department of Transportation to replace the 1912-era Hanalei River Bridge were strongly opposed by the Hanalei community. The bridge affords one-lane access to Hanalei and the Ha‘ena area on Kaua‘i’s North Shore, and is one
Initial efforts by the State Department of Transportation to replace the 1912-era Hanalei River Bridge were strongly opposed by the Hanalei community.
The bridge affords one-lane access to Hanalei and the Ha‘ena area on Kaua‘i’s North Shore, and is one of Hawai‘i’s most recognized landmarks, but was in such a sad state, that the DOT had to downgrade the safety of the bridge.
In its own right, the bridge has become an institution and has been on the National Register of Historic Places since 1978. The issue was whether the old bridge’s one-lane structure and appearance could be retained, as the community wished, notwithstanding highway standards that required a two-lane bridge and a modern superstructure able to support heavy trucks, buses and emergency vehicles. Beginning in the late 1970s, the HDOT and the Hanalei Roads Committee began a 25- year collaboration that successfully settled on a site-specific solution that retained the original look and one-lane charm of the bridge. Importantly, the collaboration represented a willingness by the HDOT to engage an entire community in the decisionmaking process.
Construction finally began in 2002, with Wilson Okamoto Corporation of Honolulu providing planning and engineering for the project. For the successful integration of the community’s aesthetic preferences and the requirement to incorporate modern construction methods and materials in the restoration, Wilson Okamoto has earned Honorable Mention in the 2004 Transportation Planning Excellence Awards sponsored by the Federal Highway Administration and the Federal Transit Administration.
The project was one of 15 projects honored by the FHWA and the only one from Hawai‘i. The awards recognize outstanding initiatives across the country to develop, plan and implement innovative transportation planning practices. The first annual awards program attracted 220 submittals in 10 categories. Wilson Okamoto vice president Myron Okubo said the project was characterized by extraordinary sensitivity to the needs and desires of Kaua‘i’s North Shore residents, as well as the island’s tourism industry.
At the November 2003 dedication for the restored bridge, U.S. Senator Daniel Inouye noted the bridge represents an example of what can happen when true cooperation occurs. Through careful planning, the bridge remained open to traffic during the construction period; traffic interruptions could not exceed minutes at a time between normal working hours of 8 m. to 3:30 p.m., and at night between 10 p.m. and 5 a.m., Sunday through Thursday. Notices were posted to keep residents informed of the construction schedule to avoid being trapped on the “wrong side” of the bridge from their destination. Emergency services posted standby vehicles on each side of the bridge to provide flexibility if needed. In the process, strong ties were built between State officials and the people.
The completed project has retained the appearance of the original bridge with its Pratt trusses to the maximum extent possible, right down to the timber decking for the roadway.
Motorists still must wait their turn to cross the one-lane bridge.
After sitting in limbo for decades, the Hanalei Bridge project now serves as an example of what can be achieved when design standards are aligned with the rural character of a project site. Okubo said he is proud of the work Wilson Okamoto performed for the project, which can serve as a template for other projects in rural communities throughout Hawai‘i.
