The League of American Cyclists recently honored Oahu with a gold-level bicycle-friendly community status, and the island is on the brink of a cycling revolution. The Caldwell administration is taking the bike plan “to the next level” by constructing bike lanes and protected lanes to motivate more citizens to ride bikes and reduce traffic congestion. The city designed a new bike plan in 1999, but much of it was not implemented. Oahu currently has around 132 miles of trails or bike lanes, and the plan plans to increase that number by an additional 559 miles over the next two to three decades.
Honolulu Mayor Kirk Caldwell has promised to make bicycle infrastructure a priority and plans to construct Oahu's first protected bike path along King Street, running from downtown to the University of Hawaii at Manoa. Moreover, a bike sharing program could add up to 1,880 bicycles and 170 charging stations in some of the most congested areas of Oahu. This program would provide an effortless and convenient way for people to get around without having to own their own bike. The bikes provided by Citi Bikes of New York City and Pronto Cycle Share of Seattle will remain in Hawaii until the end of January and will travel with representatives from Bikeshare Hawaii to give lectures to business and community groups across the state. The advantages of the Oahu Bike Plan are plentiful. It will create safer conditions for cyclists, reduce traffic congestion, provide an easy and convenient way for people to get around without having to own their own bike, and help promote a healthier lifestyle.
It will also help create jobs in the bicycle industry, as well as promote tourism in Hawaii. The plan is an essential step towards creating a more sustainable future for Oahu.
Leave Message