Revised improvement plans highlighted in Ala Moana Regional Park Draft EIS

45-day comment period begins for improvements projects at “The People’s Park”

News Release from City and County of Honolulu, July 9, 2018

Ala Moana – After considering public input received during and following the January 29 community meeting, revisions have been made to two of the proposed renovation projects at Ala Moana Regional Park.

Revised plans for the parking improvements and promenade upgrades, along with several other renovation projects, are detailed in the Ala Moana Regional Park and Magic Island Improvements Draft Environment Impact Statement (Draft EIS) published yesterday.

The latest plans call for:

• Maintaining a majority of the makai parallel parking stalls along the park road (except for the area fronting the reorganized McCoy Pavilion parking lot).
• Reorienting a majority of the mauka parallel parking stalls along the park road to perpendicular parking, thereby adding 94 stalls to this particular parking area.
• Keeping the grass area and plant life along the promenade while upgrading the path to a shared-use capacity, in compliance with the Complete Streets Ordinance and city Rules Relating to Water Quality.

“We are grateful for the passion the public has shown for Ala Moana Regional Park, which has resulted in a better master plan,” said Mayor Kirk Caldwell. “Ala Moana is ‘The People’s Park,’ and the proposed improvements will ensure that it continues to thrive for generations to come. I hope more park users take the time to comment on the Draft EIS during the next 45 days.”

Other projects highlighted in the Draft EIS include:

• Beach sand replenishment
• Parking lot reconfigurations for McCoy Pavilion and ʻĀinaMoana (Magic Island)
• Renovations to the edges of the drainage canals and two park ponds
• Repairs to the canal bridge and park entrance portals
• Improved pedestrian access near Pi‘ikoi and Queen streets
• Adding a dog park and playground
• Renovations to McCoy Pavilion and the Lawn Bowling area
• Improvements to the “high spot and Canoe Hālau area

The above mentioned parking lot reconfigurations, plus the plan for mauka perpendicular stalls, are anticipated to add 234 parking stalls to the state’s most popular park facility.

The public can continue to provide input on the proposed improvements; the 45-day public comment period began yesterday, following the publishing of the Draft EIS.

The presentation from the January meeting and a copy of the Draft EIS are available in the “Ala Moana Regional Park” section of the parks.honolulu.gov website.

For more information about how to submit input, due by August 22, 2018, please visit The Environmental Notice publication on the website for the State Office of Environmental Quality Control by clicking here.

The date of publication for the Final EIS will be determined by the extent of the comments received for the Draft EIS. It is expected by early 2019. 

—PAU—

Star-Adv: Ala Moana park plan is improved

Big Q: Do you like the revised plans for Ala Moana Regional Park?