NAWILIWILI — Community efforts to restore the Kapaia Swinging Bridge — which for more than half a century linked the pedestrian traffic between Lihu‘e and Hanama‘ulu — seem to have gained an extra boost Wednesday after an official from the
NAWILIWILI — Community efforts to restore the Kapaia Swinging Bridge — which for more than half a century linked the pedestrian traffic between Lihu‘e and Hanama‘ulu — seem to have gained an extra boost Wednesday after an official from the State Historic Department Division testified at the Kaua‘i County Council.
“SHPD does consider the bridge to be a significant historic structure,” said Angie Westfall, SHPD Architecture Branch Chief. “It’s already on the National Register.”
However, she said the plans for the bridge presented by the administration may look similar to the original bridge, but different enough that, if followed, the bridge would not be historic anymore.
“It’s basically a Disneyland version of the bridge,” said Westfall, explaining that the entire bridge would be taken down except its concrete piers. She also said the proposed plans call for a wider bridge with longer access ramps.
Westfall’s declarations surprised council members.
“It’s not what the council appropriated the funds for,” Councilman Mel Rapozo said.
“The council is not pursuing a rebuild,” Chair Jay Furfaro said. “The council is really asking about the restoration.”
When the consultant hired by the administration said the entire project would cost $4 million, Mayor Bernard Carvalho Jr. made it clear the county would not pursue the project at that price tag.
The bridge’s restoration alone would cost more than $2 million, and the county would have to spend close to another $2 million just to secure access to the bridge, which is county-owned but surrounded by private property.
County Managing Director Gary Heu said the administration had no clue or notion the bridge would cost that much when they first got a consultant to come up with the estimate.
What was analyzed and proposed was the reconstruction of a bridge that would be usable for the community, he said. The administration decided to do it right, and there are different interpretations of what is right.
Heu said he would hope the consultant could get back to the administration in two weeks regarding a question of the feasibility of stabilizing the bridge until it gets restored, to prevent a collapse that would result in a more expensive job.
“We can certainly press our consultant if we’ve not heard from them in about a week,” he said.
Restoration
Westfall said the bridge’s restoration should cost the county much less than the $2 million that the consultant estimated.
Besides that, she said there are many funding options available that would lessen the county’s monetary contribution. Plus, restoration should be cheaper than the reconstruction that the consultant proposed.
Westfall said many pieces of wood that are in the original bridge could be reused. But County Engineer Larry Dill said if only 5 to 10 percent are usable, it may cost more than if it were entirely replaced.
Dill said his understanding of the project is that the bridge would be restored using legal requirements. The consultant said all of the wood and steel cables had to be replaced to build a bridge that is safe to use.
Compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act substantially increases the bridge’s price tag, but Westfall said the there is precedent where 100 percent ADA compliance has not been required. This could substantially reduce the cost of the project.
Westfall said that are many grants the county can take advantage of to restore the bridge.
Furfaro said if federal money and other grants fund 80 percent of the project, there is a good chance the council would approve the difference.
“I’m willing to go the 20 percent route if we can find the 80 percent,” Furfaro told Westfall. “To find the 80 percent, we need to know the specifics, the qualifications and the expectations of these various grants that you would lead us to.”
The council already secured $230,000 for the bridge. If the current estimate for the bridge’s rebuilding stand, then the county would have to come with $170,000 more to reach its 20 percent — or $400,000 — contribution.
But even then, the county would end up owning a brand new bridge surrounded by private property and still need close to $2 million to secure access to it, according to the consultant.
Three phases
Furfaro suggested to break down the project in three phases.
The first phase would be the bridge’s restoration. The second phase would be the acquisition of public access to the bridge. The final phase would be to find out if the bridge could be used as a pedestrian path without ADA compliance. If not, the county would try to find a solution.
Councilman Tim Bynum said if federal transportation funds are used for 80 percent of the project’s cost, it would have to be ADA-compliant and it would take years for funding to be approved.
“We might have to build another bridge, because if we’re going to say this is part of our transportation network, I think legally it has to be ADA compliant, and I think morally it has to be (ADA compliant),” Bynum said. “We made a commitment as a society to say we were not going to leave people behind because they have a disabilities or mobility impairments.”
He also called for community leadership in restoring the bridge, especially in getting estimates for the bridge’s restoration.
“I can guarantee you the cost price that you would get would be at least half what the county would get, if they made the same inquiry,” he said.
The item on the meeting’s agenda was a request for Westfall to testify. The council voted to receive the item — which means shelving without an action — with a commitment that it would be re-posted for a future meeting.
• Léo Azambuja, staff writer, can be reached at 245-3681 (ext. 252) or lazambuja@ thegardenisland.com.
