Mayor Takes Decisive Action on Beachwalk Emergency Wastewater Bypass
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Volume VII, No. 20 Waikiki Improvement Association May 18, 2006 — May 25, 2006 Waikiki Wiki-Wiki Wire Mayor Takes Decisive Action on Beachwalk Emergency Wastewater Bypass Mayor Mufi Hannemann announced today that the City has activated an emergency design and construction team to build a temporary bypass line in the Waikiki area to prevent future wastewater discharges. The Mayor has asked the Governor to declare a state of emergency so that the work can proceed as quickly as possible. The state of emergency would allow the Governor to waive required state permits. Standing next to the Beachwalk Wastewater Pump Station in Waikiki, Mayor Hannemann declared, “This project is a top priority for the City. The health and safety of our residents and visitors are most important, and we must do everything we can to prevent a sewage bypass such as the one we had in March. As I have said so many times, our infrastructure needs our attention and it needs it now.” Rick Egged, President of WIA, stated “We’re The bypass will generally parallel the existing very encouraged to see Mayor Hannemann exert 42-inch force main. It will originate at the strong leadership in this critical situation.” Beachwalk Wastewater Pump Station in Waikiki, be tunneled below ground along Kaiolu Street across On March 24, 2006, after weeks of intense rain, the Ala Wai Canal to the mauka bank, then the 42-year-old existing force main ruptured on submerged on the Ala Wai Canal bottom to the Ala Kaiolu Street in Waikiki. The City had already Moana Boulevard bridge, and terminate near the initiated planning for a new permanent force main to Diamond Head entry to Ala Moana Beach Park. The begin in 2007 when the rupture occurred, but will 7,200-foot line is expected to be completed by the now construct a temporary emergency bypass to end of this year. prevent the need for any further diversions until the permanent line is completed. Continued on page 2 Inside this issue: Hawaiian Telcom Presents “Sunset on The Beach” 4 Other Waikiki Events 6 The 28th Annual Visitor Industry Charity Walk 4 Kuhio Beach Torch Lighting and Hula Show 7 Star Gazing at the Zoo with Dr. Michael Chauvin 5 Waikiki Parade Watch 7 Honolulu Zoo Society Offers Twilight Tours 5 Mayor Takes Decisive Action (from page 1) The bypass project will be constructed in two to Ala Moana Beach Park. Some parking stalls and phases. The first phase will be the portion from portions of the sidewalk will be temporarily the mauka bank of the Ala Wai Canal to Ala displaced by the bypass pumps along the makai Moana Park. Phase One also includes installation side of the Ala Wai Canal. of temporary pumps along both sides of the Ala On the mauka side, in the City’s Ala Wai Wai Canal that are intended to intercept and divert Neighborhood Park, the bike path will be detoured sewage flows from the existing pump station to and a portion of the softball field will be closed for a the new bypass pipe. This will provide a safety construction staging site. net until the second phase is completed. Because of the urgency of the situation, the City The second phase will construct an has asked the State to issue an emergency underground pipe by launching a state-of-the-art proclamation for the project and waive the lengthy microtunneling machine from a pit on the mauka process to obtain permits for construction. This will side of the Ala Wai Canal about 1,000 feet along allow the City to proceed immediately. Kaiolu Street to the Beachwalk wastewater pump station makai of Kuhio Avenue. Mayor Hannemann asked for the cooperation of the community during several months of Each phase is estimated to take three months construction. “There will be inconvenience for some to complete. The Mayor’s goal is to have the people in this area, but we ask for your patience. entire project completed by the end of the year, We believe the community understands the need for before our next rainy season begins. The this work and wants it done quickly.” temporary line will be in place for five to six years. The estimated cost of the Beachwalk Traffic will be intermittently affected along Wastewater Emergency Bypass is $20 million. Of Kaiolu Street and at the Diamond Head entrance this amount, $2 million has Continued on page 3 PVaogluem 2e VII, No. 20 Page 2 Waikiki Wiki-Wiki Wire Mayor Takes Decisive Action (from page 2) already been spent for the repair work of the The lead agency for the project is the City March 24 break and $3 million for environmental Department of Design and Construction. R. M. restoration which includes additional ‘akulikuli Towill Corporation is the general consultant. plants in the Ala Wai Canal. Subconsultants include Yogi Kwong Engineers and “We are encouraging public input into this Kai Hawaii Inc. The general contractor is Hawaiian process, and we’re going to extra lengths to keep Dredging Construction Company. Subcontractors the public informed about the project,” said include Healy Tibbitts Builders, Inc., and Frank Hannemann. Coluccio Construction Company. The construction manager is M&E Pacific, Inc. The project work includes a comprehensive community information process. Information will be available to the public through a website www.beachwalkbypass.com, and a project hotline 808-203-5777. PVaogluem 3e VII, No. 20 Page 3 Waikiki Wiki-Wiki Wire Hawaiian Telcom Presents “Sunset on The Beach” with Popular Films “What a Girl Wants” and “Yours, Mine And Ours” Actress Kelly Preston (“What A Girl Wants”) Is a Special Guest on Saturday Hawaiian Telcom presents bone marrow donors, some patients are unable to another great “Sunset on the find a suitable match. For more information, please Beach” weekend with two contact the Registry at (808) 547-6154. popular films, and special On Sunday, 'Anelaikalani, one of Hawai’i's pre- guest, actress Kelly Preston – miere young female vocalists, presents songs from a Kaiser alumnus and Mrs. her new release "Completely" as she makes her de- John Travolta – on Saturday but on the “Sunset on the Beach” stage. She re- night. Preston will be in town leased her first album at the age of 12 and her sec- May 18-21, to promote “What ond at 14, both receiving Na Hoku Hanohano Award Parents Need to Know about nominations. Come down early and enjoy one of Keeping Your Kids Drug- Hawai’i's finest young female performers! Free.” She will also be speaking at a gathering with families at Kuhio Park Terrace and at a lunch- Our crafters start out the day early, around 9:00 eon at the Pacific Club during her visit. a.m. Food booths open at 4:00 p.m. This week’s food vendors are Ba-Le French Sandwich & Restau- The Hawai‘i Bone Marrow Donor Registry will rant, K Restaurant, Leo's Taverna, M & N's Treats, be conducting marrow donor drives at “Sunset on Royal Hawaiian Hot Dog, and World’s Greatest Fun- the Beach” on May 20th and 21st. Donors must be nel Cake. Live entertainment starts at 5:00 p.m., Hawai’i residents between 18 and 60 years of age and the movie will screen after sunset, approxi- and in good health. If you have already regis- mately 7:15 p.m. tered, you need not register again, but please up- date your information with the Registry, if “Sunset” is presented by Hawaiian Telcom, and needed. Every day, thousands of patients are in is also brought to you in part by the City & County of need of a donor for a lifesaving bone marrow Honolulu and the Hawai‘I Tourism Authority. transplant. Yet, even though there are more than six million people nationally who are registered The 28th Annual Visitor Industry Charity Walk, May 20th The Visitor Industry Charity walk Oahu’s Charity Walk begins at 6:00 a.m.. Pre- started out in 1974 as a walk festivities begin at 5:30 a.m.. All walkers must “Superwalk” sponsored by the be walking by no later than 6:30 a.m. Hawai‘i Hotel & Lodging Asso- Oahu’s charity walkers must have a minimum ciation to benefit one of the ma- total donation of $35 turned in prior to participating jor charities in Hawaii. It has in the Charity Walk. For those under 18 years of age grown to become one of the (regardless of age including infants), a minimum of largest single day fund-raising $25 is required to participate. All donations may be events in the State. tax deductible. Your donation entitles you to partici- The year’s event takes place on Oahu on Sat- pate in the Charity Walk and sample all of the great urday, May 20th. The seven-mile course begins food and goodies at each of the 16 checkpoints, and ends at McCoy Pavilion in Ala Moana Beach plate lunch at the end of the walk and super enter- Park. Registration is from 5:00 a.m. to 6:00 a.m. tainment. for individuals not walking for a company. If you For more information please contact the HHLA are walking for a company, check with your com- office at 923-0407 or visit the HHLA website at pany recruiter for any internal registration dead- ww.hawaiihotels.org lines. PVaogluem 4e VII, No. 20 Page 4 Waikiki Wiki-Wiki Wire Star Gazing at the Zoo with Dr. Michael Chauvin Explore the sky above Hawaii with astronomer Dr. Chauvin is an internationally recognized Dr. Michael Chauvin.