HONOLULU – The City and County of Honolulu’s Department of Transportation Services (DTS) and Honolulu Complete Streets announced Monday that Phase 2 of construction on the Kūhiō Avenue transit-priority lane in Waikīkī will begin next week.
The City completed the first phase of the new transit-priority lanes in November 2024. Phase 2 covers the eastbound curbside lane of Kūhiō Avenue, from Kānekapōlei Street to Kapahulu Avenue, and will use red pavement markings and signage to give priority to both City and private buses, as well as large trucks and bicycles transiting the corridor.
Construction work will begin the week of May 5, 2025 and last approximately four weeks, weather permitting.
The working hours will be:
- Monday to Friday, excluding holidays, from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Daytime work will include removal of existing pavement markings and the installation of new markings and signs.
- Monday to Friday, excluding holidays, from 7 p.m. to 5:30 a.m. the following day. The red methyl methacrylate (MMA) paint will be installed at night because it requires lower pavement temperatures to cure.
Travel lane closures will occur along the project limits during construction, and bus stop modifications will be communicated to transit riders. Please proceed through the area with caution.
The transit-priority lanes on Kūhiō Avenue make more efficient use of limited right-of-way space in the dense Waikīkī neighborhood, and facilitate more convenient transit access for local residents, employees, and visitors alike. The intent of this project is to reduce operational delays due to traffic congestion for buses in Waikīkī. Currently, 56% of people on Kūhiō Avenue at rush hour are walking, biking, or riding the City bus or private bus carrier; only 44% of all travel is made by car. There are ten TheBus routes, and more than 2.5 million TheBus rides annually, on Kūhiō Avenue.
Data collected and analyzed after construction of Phase 1 reveals high vehicle compliance with the new lane restrictions (>97%), fewer bicyclists riding on the sidewalk, and improved reliability for TheBus, which has seen average travel times reduced by two to five percent. Preliminary traffic analysis shows large variability in travel times in both directions before and after the construction of Phase 1, leading the City to conclude that the new transit lane likely did not have significant impact on vehicle travel times through the corridor. The City will continue to evaluate the transit lane impacts on all modes.
The project promotes the multimodal transportation objective of the Waikīkī Special District (Sec. 21-9.80-1): “Support efficient use of multimodal transportation in Waikīkī, reflecting the needs of Waikīkī workers, businesses, residents, and tourists. Encourage the use of public transit rather than the private automobile, and assist in the efficient flow of traffic.” The project has received support from the Bloomberg American Cities Climate Challenge and its partners.
Along with providing a reliable and essential transportation option, bus lanes have also been shown to increase foot traffic and sales at local businesses. Further, these improvements are intended to increase safety for all road users. Kūhiō Avenue is identified as a High-Injury Corridor in the Oʻahu Pedestrian Plan (2022).
Throughout this project, the City has conducted outreach to Waikīkī constituents, and the surrounding neighborhoods since 2021, including presentations to the Waikīkī Neighborhood Board, Waikīkī Transportation Management Association (WTMA), Waikīkī Improvement Association (WIA), Hawaiʻi Lodging and Tourism Association (HLTA), Hawaiʻi Tourism Authority (HTA), the Waikīkī Business Improvement District (WBIDA), area elected officials, and many more community stakeholders. The City continues to update businesses, property owners, and tenants in the area regarding the project.
Although the bus lanes give priority to transit vehicles, bikes and large trucks may travel in the lanes, and vehicles turning right at driveways and side streets will be able to enter the lanes in advance of their turn. Passenger loading will be restricted, and freight loading with a permit will be allowed overnight between 10 p.m. and 7:30 a.m.
For more information on the Kūhiō transit-priority lane project, please visit: https://www8.honolulu.gov/completestreets/waikiki/
