Project Overview
The Opportunity
Urban Honolulu is transforming. In accordance with smart growth principles and transit oriented development, the city is concentrating future development within Honolulu’s urban growth boundary and in proximity to future rail stations. This densification will require a sustainable transportation network within the urban core, including transportation alternatives for those that can’t or don’t wish to use a car for all of their daily trips. With this transformation, Honolulu can realize the social, economic, and environmental benefits of becoming a more safe and walkable city.
Through its Complete Streets program, the City and County of Honolulu is committed to implementing complete streets solutions that improve safety, accessibility, and comfort for all users, encourage physical activity, and reflect community needs and character.
The Project
Our projects in the Urban Core span diverse neighborhoods from Chinatown to Sheridan Tract. They includes some of the densest corridors on Oahu, home to key neighborhoods, business districts, schools, shopping centers, cultural institutions, government facilities, and medical facilities.
We are excited to roll out pedestrian, bicycle, transit access, and traffic calming projects in the urban core. Please learn more below.
STAY IN THE LOOP
Projects
Kekaulike Mall and Kekaulike Street Improvements
Kekaulike Mall and Kekaulike Street are critical cultural, economic and transportation facilities in the heart of our city that connect our island's busiest transit corridors, including King Street, Hotel Street, and eventually the rail system. These improvement projects are intended to prioritize safe and comfortable pedestrian travel in Chinatown.
Reconstruction of Kekaulike Mall will begin in spring 2023. Project boundaries are from Hotel Street to King Street. The project will improve drainage, pavement, lighting, landscaping, and loading areas. It will incorporate landscaping and wayfinding to support economic activity. Access to businesses will be maintained during construction. Construction hours will be Monday through Friday from 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM, with no weekend or holiday work. Please contact the Project Hotline at (808) 979-1291 with any questions or concerns.
Conceptual rendering looking mauka from King Street
Conceptual rendering looking makai from Hotel Street
Urban Core Bikeway Improvements
New bikeway projects will be constructed in the Downtown, Chinatown, and Ala Moana-Kakaako areas, with many in conjunction with road repaving projects.
Map of bikeways planned for installation in the 2024 construction phase
Downtown
- South King Street: Extension of the existing two-way protected bike lane along the mauka side of the road, between Alapai Street and Alakea Street
- Punchbowl Street: Bicycle facilities between Vineyard Boulevard and Ala Moana Boulevard include:
- Sharrows (mauka-bound) between South King Street and Vineyard Boulevard
- One-way protected bike lane (makai-bound) between Pohukaina Street and South King Street
- Sharrows (makai-bound) from Vineyard Boulevard to South King Street and from Pohukaina Street to Ala Moana Boulevard
- Richards Street:
- One-way bike lane (makai-bound) from Halekauwila Street to South Hotel Street
- Sharrows (makai-bound) from South Hotel Street to South Beretania Street
Construction is currently underway and is anticipated for completion in late 2023.
Chinatown
- Alakea Street: One-way protected bike lane (mauka-bound) connecting the Hotel Street Bikeway to the King Street protected bike lane
- Nuuanu Avenue:
- Sharrows from Merchant Street to School Street
- Bike lane (makai-bound) from Kukui Street to Beretania Street
- Bike lane (mauka-bound) from Vineyard Boulevard to School Street
Construction was completed in early 2022.
Ala Moana-Kakaako
- Kamakee Street: One-way protected bike lane from Queen Street to Kapiolani Boulevard
- Auahi Street: Buffered bike lanes from South Street to Cooke Street
- Cooke Street: Bike lanes from South King Street to Ilalo Street
- Pohukaina Street:
- Bike lanes from Punchbowl Street to Cooke Street
- Sharrows from Cooke Street to Kamani Street
- Queen Street:
- One-way bike lanes (mauka-bound) from Ala Moana Boulevard to Auahi Street
- Sharrows (makai-bound) from Auahi Street to Ala Moana Boulevard
- Sharrows from Fort Street Mall to Punchbowl Street
- Ilalo Street: Sharrows installed from Keawe Street to Ala Moana Boulevard
Construction of bikeways on Kamakee Street, Auahi Street, Cooke Street, Pohukaina Street, Queen Street, and Ilalo Street is underway and is anticipated for completion in 2023.
Lower Pensacola Street Pedestrian and Bikeway Improvements
The City and County of Honolulu is planning to implement improvements along Pensacola Street between Waimanu Street and South King Street. This would include improvements to pedestrian crossings, complete the missing sidewalks between Waimanu Street and Kapiolani Boulevard, and extending the two-way protected bikeway to Waimanu Street. These improvements are proposed to provide safer and more direct connections to and from Kakaako, Ala Moana Shopping Center, and Ala Moana Regional Park for both pedestrians and bicyclists.
The project area encompasses Pensacola Street from Waimanu Street to South King Street, and the project area is broken into two segments:
Segment 1, from Waimanu Street to Kapiolani Boulevard: Improvements include incorporating missing sidewalks, reconfiguring on-street parking, extending the two-way protected bikewat, and adding crosswalks and pedestrian signals on the Diamond Head side of the intersection with Kapiolani Boulevard and Waimanu Street.
Segment 2, from Kapiolani Boulevard to South King Street: Improvements include pedestrian crossing safety improvements, curb extensions, reserve-in angle parking, and a lane reconfiguration to address speeding issues while maintaining capacity.
Below are conceptual plans for the roadway:
Click below to download a PDF of the project documents:
For questions and/or comments on the Lower Pensacola Street Pedestrian and Bikeway Improvements project, please contact Daniel Alexander, Project Manager, Department of Transportation Services at (808) 768-6652, or via email at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
Story Map
Click on the Story Map below to explore maps of the project area and learn about solutions being considered for 16 miles of streets within Honolulu’s Urban Core!
Your Opinion Matters
Community input is critical to the process of identifying solutions that balance the needs of the neighborhood’s diverse users and match community character.
A wide variety of outreach activities have been completed for the Urban Core Complete Streets projects, including eight “Sit Down Sessions”, four “Pop-ups”, six Walking and Biking Charrettes, and more than 30 meetings and presentations with community organizations, business associations, schools, major employers, landowners, elected officials, developers, and other stakeholders.
The project designs were informed by extensive community input gathered as a part of the Urban Core Complete Streets and Downtown Chinatown Complete Streets projects in 2017 and 2018. The outreach activities for these two projects included more than 24 community meetings, 72 stakeholder meetings, and various other outreach platforms, collectively gathering more than 1,600 public comments.
Learn more about the Downtown/Chinatown Complete Streets outreach efforts
Download Urban Core Project Fact Sheet
Community Engagement
We need your input!
- How do you move around the area?
- What streetscape features make your neighborhood unique?
- What obstacles do you encounter while traveling through the area?
- How could better transportation options improve your everyday life?
Get Involved
Learn more about the project and sign up for e-mail updates at:
www.honolulu.gov/completestreets
Send your comments or questions to:
