While recognizing the intrinsic value of preserving historic sites, we applaud Mayor Bernard Carvalho Jr.’s administration for deciding not to proceed with a preposterously expensive plan to restore the Kapaia Bridge. The initial estimates for the project came in at
While recognizing the intrinsic value of preserving historic sites, we applaud Mayor Bernard Carvalho Jr.’s administration for deciding not to proceed with a preposterously expensive plan to restore the Kapaia Bridge.
The initial estimates for the project came in at $4 million. This isn’t a two-lane road capable of carrying cars over a river. This is a swinging bridge made of wood planks and steel ropes that people used during the plantation days to cross a stream when traveling between Lihu‘e and Hanama‘ulu.
Cutting all the corners only brought the cost down to $1.66 million. This price would not include replacing the foundation, or the original type of wood used to build the bridge (Douglas fir instead of redwood would slash $400,000 off the repair estimate).
This trimmed down proposal also wouldn’t provide public access to the bridge, which connects two pieces of private property. If we’re going to put any amount of taxpayer dollars toward this project, the residents who provide those funds should darn well have access to the bridge.
The Kapaia Bridge is already essentially a bridge to nowhere. We don’t need to pour millions into a bridge that would serve no real public purpose.
But we do recognize it as a bridge to the past. As such, should the economy improve and stabilize, we would support revisiting this issue in the future.
Council members JoAnn Yukimura and Nadine Nakamura on Wednesday shared some excellent cost-saving suggestions and ideas for how to appropriately pursue this project when the time is right.
For instance, Yukimura said perhaps the county could facilitate an arrangement with the nearby church to provide a place to park for visitors to the bridge.
Nakamura said what’s really needed is a community-based vision and a strategic plan to move forward. Let’s work on clarifying what we hope to gain from the restoration and what kind of usage it would have.
She implied that its overall public worth would increase if, for example, the bridge became interconnected with the planned pedestrian and bike path network throughout the greater Lihu‘e area.
These more far-sighted and outside-the-box ideas are what the island needs.
Nonetheless, we’re puzzled that the council still decided to add $230,403 for the bridge in the county’s budget for next fiscal year, which starts July 1. When asked how the county would utilize this funding, Councilman Tim Bynum said it is up to the administration.
The administration seemed pretty clear on its position.
“Our recommendation is that we don’t proceed,” said County Engineer Larry Dill, explaining that after a feasibility study the administration wouldn’t advise to restore the historic bridge unless the county acquires public access to it.
We agree. So if this money isn’t specifically set aside for that purpose, we call on the council to cut it back out of the FY12 budget. There are plenty of other worthwhile capital improvement projects the county could tackle in the meantime.
The mayor was right to say “no” to a pricey plan to fix up a bridge that has no real worth aside from its historic value. The timing, particularly due to a sagging economy, is bad for this project.
Let’s re-evaluate the estimate, come up with a clearer vision and return to the matter when we’re on solid financial footing.
