Starting next week, a mauka-side roadway lane dedicated to public and private buses, large trucks and bicycles will be installed on Waikiki’s Kuhio Avenue, city officials say.

The city Department of Transportation Services and Honolulu Complete Streets awarded the installation contract for the first phase of a new transit-priority lane on the busy thoroughfare.

The intent of this project is to reduce delays due to traffic congestion for buses in Waikiki.

Phase one of the project covers the westbound lane of Kuhio Avenue, from Kapahulu Avenue to Launiu Street, and will use red pavement markings and signage to give priority to both city and private buses, trucks and bikes.

Construction is slated to begin the week of Nov. 4 and is expected to last about a month, weather permitting.

The working hours will be:

>> Monday to Friday, except holidays.

>> 7 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.: Daytime work will include eradication of existing pavement markings and new markings and sign installation.

>> 7 p.m. to 5:30 a.m.: Red methyl methacrylate paint will be installed at night because it requires lower pavement temperatures to cure.

Passenger loading will be restricted, and freight loading with a permit will still be allowed overnight between 10 p.m. and 7:30 a.m.

Travel lane closures will occur along the project limits during construction, and bus stop modifications will be provided to transit riders.

During construction, drivers and pedestrians are asked to proceed through the area with caution.

And although the bus lane gives priority to transit vehicles and bikes, vehicles turning right into driveways and side streets will be able to enter the lane in advance of their turn, the city said.

Travis Ota, a DTS spokesperson, said the phased project was awarded to Waipahu-based Kaikor Construction Group Inc. on June 25.

The contract amount was for $496,000, with Phase 1 costing $334,400, he added.

“The community has been supportive of this project but wants to implement as a pilot in a phased approach, which the city fully supports,” Ota told the Honolulu Star-Advertiser via email. “This is what we consider to be a ‘quick-build’ project because it does not require heavy construction to install.”

He said that “the new roadway treatments are limited to pavement markings and signage, which can be adjusted if necessary.”

Currently, 56% of people on Kuhio Avenue at rush hour are walking, biking or riding either a city bus or a private bus carrier; only 44% of all travel is by car, according to DTS. It added that bus lanes have been shown to increase foot traffic and sales at local businesses.

However, the project has received mixed reviews by some in the Waikiki community.

“The city did present this to us,” Waikiki Neighborhood Board Vice Chair Louis Erteschik told the Star- Advertiser by phone. “They didn’t really ask for support. They probably wanted support, but my recollection is we really didn’t vote in support or against.”

He said some board members “definitely had concerns of how this thing was going to play out,” as traffic along Kuhio Avenue is already known to be “kind of tight.”

“It’s not as wide as Kala­kaua (Avenue), and so now you’re going to take out a whole other lane for the bus,” Erteschik said, adding that at least one board member voiced that the project was a “really dumb idea.”

According to Ota, the project’s construction schedule takes place during times with lower vehicular traffic.

“As with any construction project, there is always going to be objections due to temporary delays and traffic congestion. Fortunately, this project only entails paint and signage installation,” Ota said. “No heavy construction equipment is necessary, which reduces the amount of noise and disruption to the community.”

Since 2021, the city said, it’s conducted outreach to Waikiki constituents and the surrounding neighborhoods about the transit-priority lane.

Besides the Waikiki Neighborhood Board, the city said it presented the project to the Waikiki Transportation Management Association, Waikiki Improvement Association, Hawaii Lodging and Tourism Association, Hawaii Tourism Authority, Waikiki Business Improvement District and elected officials.

The city said it also spoke to businesses, property owners and tenants in the area regarding the project. Flyers were sent out earlier this week to remind the neighborhood of the upcoming construction.

Although some on the neighborhood board disliked the priority transit-lane concept, Erteschik said he typically rides the bus from his workplace in downtown Honolulu to his home in Waikiki.

“I’ve lived here 34 years, and I don’t even own a car,” he added. “So personally, I kind of like the idea of a dedicated bus lane, but I think we as a board had concerns that you’re going to make a traffic problem worse and that the negatives might outweigh the positives.”

According to the city, Phase 2 of this project will install bus lanes along Kuhio Avenue between Ka­iulani Street and Kapahulu Avenue in the eastbound direction.

A future phase would address the busy eastbound segment between Kalakaua Avenue and Kanekapolei Street.

Ota said there is no timeline yet for Phase 2.

“DTS is planning to evaluate Phase 1, collect additional data and have discussions with city leadership and our major Waikiki partners before proceeding with Phase 2,” he added.