- Rules of the King Street Protected Bike Lane
- Traffic Study
- Two-way Conversion
- Opening Day
- Education
- Public Outreach
Frequently Asked Questions
- About Protected Bike Lanes in General
- About the King Street Protected Bike Lane Pilot Project
- About the Design of the King Street Protected Bike Lane
- About Construction of the King Street Protected Bike Lane
"Protected bike lanes provide a safe place for bicyclists and are part of a multi-modal transportation system."
Mayor Kirk Caldwell
Mayor Kirk Caldwell is a strong advocate for Complete Streets and protected bicycle lanes. Mayor Caldwell encouraged DTS to lead the way with Hawaii's first protected bike lane on King Street, a major corridor between urban Honolulu and the University area.
Mayor Caldwell's Complete Streets Video
Note: The conceptual video shows the bike lane on the right (makai). However, in order to avoid conflicts with City buses which stop along the right, the left (mauka) side has been chosen.
Rules of the King Street Protected Bike Lane
The protected bike lane is for people on bicycles only.No mopeds. |
For people walking
For people driving
For people biking
|
Traffic Study
We continue to conduct travel time studies and bicycle counts to determine how the new facility has affected South King Street. Data taken prior to construction is used as a benchmark for comparison.
Travel Time from Alapai Street to University Avenue
Lane Reduction Simulation: Prior to construction of the protected bike lane, parking was allowed on the right side of King Street during the PM peak travel hours for several months. This simulated having one less travel lane during the PM peak when traffic is heaviest. Travel time studies during this period showed minimal effect on traffic. Studies from other cities have shown a similar, minimal impact on traffic congestion from converting a travel lane into a protected bike lane.
Update (5/2015): Several travel time studies were conducted since the protected bike lane was installed. Data shows the new bike lane has very little impact on through traffic from Alapai Street to University Avenue as travel times are consistent with pre-construction figures.
Bicycle Counts
Update: 9/2015
DTS is taking physical counts of bicyclists using South King Street. Counts are taken manually by DTS staff and automatically using tube counters.
Manual Counts
Manual counts are conducted on a 12 hour basis (from 6:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.). Manual counts allow DTS to obtain bicycle ridership data for the entire public right-of-way, including sidewalks. The primary location for data comparison is at the corner of South King Street and Kalakaua Avenue. To obtain screen line data, manual counts are conducted at seven locations which include South King Street, Young Street, Beretania Street and Kapiolani Boulevard.
| King at Kalakaua 6:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. | Bike Lane Condition | % Sidewalk Ridership | % Bike Lane Ridership | % Street Ridership | Ewa Bound Ridership | DH Bound Ridership | Total Ridership | % change in total ridership compared to preconstruction average |
| 8/26/2014 | None | 70% | n/a | 30% | 155 | 247 | 402 | n/a |
| 8/27/2014 | None | 64% | n/a | 36% | 120 | 246 | 366 | n/a |
| Pre-construction Average | 67% | n/a | 33% | 138 | 247 | 384 | n/a | |
| 2/10/2015 | One-way DH bound | 11% | 88% | 1% | 276 | 340 | 616 | +60% |
| 2/11/2015 | One-way DH bound | 14% | 81% | 4% | 261 | 426 | 687 | +79% |
| 3/4/2015 | One-way DH bound | 11% | 87% | 2% | 266 | 324 | 590 | +54% |
| 3/5/2015 | One-way DH bound | 12% | 84% | 4% | 247 | 303 | 550 | +43% |
| 3/7/2015 | One-way DH bound | 13% | 81% | 6% | 179 | 282 | 461 | +20% |
| 3/8/2015 | One-way DH bound | 17% | 76% | 7% | 144 | 232 | 376 | -2% |
| 4/7/2015 | One-way DH bound | 11% | 88% | 1% | 244 | 319 | 563 | +47% |
| 4/8/2015 | One-way DH bound | 12% | 83% | 4% | 309 | 420 | 729 | +90% |
| 4/9/2015 | One-way DH bound | 11% | 85% | 4% | 270 | 392 | 662 | +72% |
| 5/5/2015 | One-way DH bound | 11% | 85% | 4% | 298 | 385 | 683 | +78% |
| 5/6/2015 | One-way DH bound | 11% | 86% | 3% | 280 | 426 | 706 | +84% |
| 5/7/2015 | One-way DH bound | 8% | 89% | 3% | 261 | 363 | 624 | +63% |
| One-way Average | 12% | 84% | 4% | 204 | 281 | 604 | +52% | |
| 6/2/2015 | Two-way | 8% | 88% | 4% | 319 | 413 | 732 | +91% |
| 6/3/2015 | Two-way | 4% | 94% | 2% | 332 | 387 | 719 | +87% |
| 6/4/2015 | Two-way | 9% | 86% | 5% | 325 | 395 | 720 | +88% |
| 9/22/2015 | Two-way | 3% | 96% | 1% | 367 | 416 | 783 | +104% |
| 9/23/2015 | Two-way | 8% | 89% | 4% | 380 | 429 | 809 | +111% |
| 2/10/2016 | Two-way | 2% | 97% | 1% | 380 | 388 | 768 | +100% |
| 6/1/2016 | Two-way | 2% | 97% | 1% | 335 | 348 | 683 | +78% |
| Post-construction Average | 5% | 92% | 3% | 348 | 397 | 745 | +94% | |
Tube Counts
Tube counters are quicker to deploy, however, they are limited to counting bicyclists only in the bike lane. There are no pre-construction data using tube counts since there was no bicycle facility on South King Street prior to this project. Since April 2015, DTS is conducting 12 hour (from 6:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.) tube counts on South King Street. Below are the results of these counts.
| Date | Location | Bicycle Facility | 12 Hour Total Bike Lane Ridership |
| 4/7/2015 | King/Kalakaua | One-Way DH Bound | 574 |
| 5/5/2015 | King/Kalakaua | One-Way DH Bound | 542 |
| 6/3/2015 | King/Kalakaua | Two-Way | 689 |
| 7/9/2015 | King/Keeaumoku | Two-Way | 702 |
| 8/5/2015 | King/Keeaumoku | Two-Way | 629 |
| 9/2/2015 | King/Keeaumoku | Two-Way | 735 |
| 10/7/2015 | King/Keeaumoku | Two-Way | 726 |
| 11/18/2015 | King/Keeaumoku | Two-Way | 712 |
| 12/2/2015 | King/Keeaumoku | Two-Way | 689 |
| 1/27/2016 | King/Keeaumoku | Two-Way | 837 |
| 3/9/2016 | King/Keeaumoku | Two-Way | 737 |
| 5/11/2016 | King/Keeaumoku | Two-Way | 689 |
| 9/20/2017 | King/Keeaumoku | Two-Way | 866 |
Two-way Conversion
On May 15, 2015, the King Street Protected Bike Lane was converted to a two-way bicycle facility which allows bicyclists to ride in both directions. Pedestrians, bicyclists, and drivers should remember to look both ways before crossing an intersection or driveway.
The two-way conversion included:
- installation of thirteen (13) bicycle signals at signalized intersections
- additonal bicycle and arrow stencils
- striping of a center line
- signage at driveways cautioning driver’s to look both ways
- removal of eleven (11) parking stalls near driveways to increase sight distance
- a morning parking restriction (6:30a.m. to 8:30a.m.) for one block between Kealamakai Street and Ward Avenue
On May 4, 2015, Mayor Kirk Caldwell helped with the installation of the first bicycle signal. |
Opening Day
The King Street Protected Bike Lane opened as a one-way bicycle facility on December 6, 2014. A grand opening celebration was held which included a live bicycle powered musical performance, over a dozen activity booths, food trucks, and an inaugural ride down King Street to Isenberg Street and back on Young Street with Mayor Kirk Caldwell. Approximately 400 cyclists participated in the event.
The bike lane was open for bicyclists heading in the East-bound direction. |
Parking is allowed on King Street outside of the bike lane. |
Education
| We appreciate everyone spreading the word on how to use the protected bike lane. Please contact us for printed educational material for your organization or neighborhood. Update (5/2015): We encourage all bicycle riders to experience riding in the protected bike lane. For those of you who do not have access to a bicycle but are interested in riding the bike lane, the Bike Shop, located at 1149 South King Street is providing free bicycle rentals. Contact The Bike Shop at (808)596-0588. If you are interested in learning how to use the King Street Protected Bike Lane, please contact the Hawaii Bicycling League for a tutorial offered to pedestrians, cyclists and motorists. Contact the Hawaii Bicycling League at (808)735-5756. A King Street Protected Bike Lane poster (PDF) and bus-card have been created. If you would like copies of the poster for your organization, please contact Chris Sayers at 768-8335. |
Bus card as seen on TheBus |
Public Outreach
DTS Staff made presentations regarding this project and accepted feedback at the following Neighborhood Boards on these dates:
Neighborhood Board #5 Diamond Head/Kapahulu/St. Louis
- November 13, 2014 (minutes)
Neighborhood Board #8 McCully/Moiliili
Neighborhood Board #10 Makiki/Lower Punchbowl/Tantalus
Neighborhood Board #11 Ala Moana/Kakaako
- March 24, 2015 [requested; update provided by Transportation Committee] (minutes)
- June 24, 2014 (minutes)
Presentation for:
Neighborhood Board meetings (PDF)
City Council Committee on Transportation on October 16, 2014 (PDF)
Public meeting on September 1, 2015 (PDF)
A public information meeting was held at the Neal Blaisedell Center on August 28, 2014, from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. and on September 1, 2015 from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.
DTS Staff visited businesses along South King Street (from Alapai Street to Isenberg Street) on the following dates to inform them of the details of the project and to receive feedback:
- May 2015 (Two-way conversion starting)
- August 2014 (Construction starting)
- March 2014 (Traffic study ending)
- April 2013 (Traffic study starting)
Update was given at the Oahu Metropolitan Planning Organization on March 18, 2015 (minutes).
Frequent updates have been given at the Mayor's Advisory Committee on Bicycling meetings.
Frequently Asked Questions
About Protected Bike Lanes in General
Question: What is a protected bike lane?
Answer: Protected bike lanes, also known as cycle tracks, are bike lanes that are physically separated from traffic. The physical seperation can be created by a variety of objects including on-street parking, curbs, planters, or plastic bollards. Protected bike lanes can be on the left or right side of the road and can be one-way or two-way.
The King Street Protected Bike Lane Pilot Project uses on-street parking, an asphalt berm, and plastic bollards to create a physical seperation between motor vehicles and bicyclists.
Question: Why do we need protected bike lanes?
Answer: The City is required to comply with the Complete Street ordinance and balance the needs of all road users; pedestrians, bicyclists and motorists. The City encourages more bicycling, which is a healthy and clean mode of transportation. The King Street Protected Bike Lane design makes bicycling safer and will attract more bicyclists that are not comfortable riding in traffic. Also, by providing a safer place for bicyclists, it will encourage them to ride in the roadway instead of the sidewalk, which will make the sidewalks safer for pedestrians.
The League of American Bicyclists recently published the bicycle mode share numbers for the 70 largest cities in America and Honolulu is ranked 9th nationwide. Currently, 2.4% of people in Honolulu commute to work by bicycle. The number has been increasing over time and we are confident that by providing safe bikeways even more people will choose to travel by bicycle. As bicycling increases, it will alleviate the number of cars on our roads and decrease the deamnd for parking stalls.
Question: Are there other cities that have protected bike lanes?
Answer: Absolutely! There are 61 cities in the U.S. that currently have protected bike lanes. This type of infrastructure has been popular in European countries for decades. View the full inventory list created by People for Bikes.
Watch the video created by People for Bikes for examples of existing protected bike lanes in the U.S.
The Rise of Protected Bike Lanes in the U.S. from The PeopleForBikes GLP on Vimeo.
About the King Street Protected Bike Lane Pilot Project
Question: How long will this pilot project last?
Answer: We are closely monitoring the project for two years to determine its success.
Question: Can I walk across the bike lane?
Answer: Yes, you may walk across the bike lane to access your parked vehicle or when crossing the street at a crosswalk. Please use the sidewalk when walking parallel to King Street. Walking and jogging within the bike lane for recreational purposes is not allowed.
Question: What happens at intersections and driveways?
Answer: Motorists must yield to bicyclists and pedestrians. Bicyclists must also yield to pedestrians. Everyone should use caution and show aloha while on the road.
Question: How should bicyclists make a right turn?
Answer: There are two ways to turn right from the bike lane. One way is called a two-stage turn: stop at the stop line at an intersection and wait for the light at the cross street to turn green. The other way is to get out of the bike lane in advance of the intersection and merge over to the right side when safe to do so.
Question: Is the King Street Protected Bike Lane one-way or two-way?
Answer: Update (5/2015): The bike lane opened as a one-way facility on December 6, 2014 and was converted to a two-way facility on May 15, 2015. Bicyclists are now able to ride in both directions within the bike lane.
About the Design of the King Street Protected Bike Lane
Question: Which side of the road is the bike lane on? Why is it on the left?
Answer: The bike lane is on the left (mauka) side of the road. This is something that was discussed and reviewed at length. Along King Street, there are intersections with heavy left turning traffic and others with heavy right turning traffic, such as Pensacola, Keeaumoku and Kalakaua. The main reason the bike lane is on the left (mauka) side is to avoid conflicts with the City buses. There are many bus stops along King Street and all of these stops are on the right side of the street.
Question: How many lanes were removed from King Street?
Answer: King Street has six lanes and only one lane on the left (mauka side) was converted to a bike lane. Motorists used to use all six lanes for through traffic during peak hours (3:30PM to 6:30PM) and now there are five lanes available. Where parking is allowed on both sides of the street, motorists used to use four lanes of through traffic and now there are three lanes available.
Question: How long is the bike lane?
Answer: The King Street Protected Bike Lane is from Alapai Street to Isenberg Street, which is about 2 miles.
Question: How is the parking affected? Has parking been removed?
Answer: The on-street parking on the left (mauka) side has been moved one lane to the right. A few parking spaces were removed between Alapai Street and Kealamakai Street. Motorists must park on the outside of the cycle track, walk across the cycle track and pay at the meters on the sidewalk. Parking along the right (makai) side has not been affected.
Update (5/2015): In order to increase sight distances at driveways, eleven (11) parking stalls at various locations along the 2 mile project were removed. A morning parking restriction (6:30a.m. to 8:30a.m.) has been implemented for one block between Kealamakai Street and Ward Avenue in order to increase traffic flow.
Question: How wide is the protected bike lane?
Answer: The bike lane is 10 feet wide with an additional 3 foot wide buffer zone between the bikeway and the parked cars for a total of 13 feet.
Question: How are bicyclists separated from traffic?
Answer: The protected bike lane is separated from travel lanes by a 6" asphalt berm and delineators/bollards in a 3 foot buffer zone. The berm is painted white and the delineators reflective tape so that the bike lane can be easily visible to motorists. Parking on the right side of the asphalt berm provides bicyclists with added protection from moving traffic.
Question: How are cyclists protected from car doors suddenly opening?
Answer: The design of the bike lane consists of a three-foot wide buffer zone that includes an asphalt curb, striping and vertical plastic delineators positioned in areas away from car doors. Additionally, there is an “edge of pavement” line next to the asphalt curb. By having an edge of payment line, we expect motorists to park approximately a foot away from the asphalt curb. These features ensure that parked vehicles will be at least three feet away from the bike lane, if not more, depending on how far a motorist parks from the asphalt curb.
Question: What traffic features have been incorporated to minimize collisions between bicyclists and left turning motorists?
Answer: There are five features that are incorporated to minimize bicycle and motor vehicle collisions.
1. Pushed back stop bar: Motorists in the left lane must stop at the stop bar which is further back compared to motorists in the other lanes. The stop bar for motorists in the left lane has been pushed back 12 feet to allow motorists to easily see bicyclists waiting at the intersection. This also gives bicyclists the opportunity to be ahead of the left turning vehicle once the traffic light turns green.
2. Painted conflict zones: Intersections and driveways have been painted green with a bicycle stencil to show it is a potential conflict zone between motorists and bicyclists. Everyone must use caution when entering the green paint area.
3. Large signs stating "Left Turning Vehicles Yield to Bicycles" at every major intersection.
4. Signs were posted at driveways to remind drivers to look both ways for bikes before entering the roadway.
5. Bicycle Traffic Signal: Bicycle traffic signals have been installed at intersections for bicyclists riding in the Ewa bound direction.
Question: What does the green paint mean? Why is it green?
Answer: Green paint is used at all driveways and intersections and signifies an area where a higher degree of caution is necessary as it shows where motorists can cross the bike lane. Both bicyclists and motorists entering this area must exercise caution. Green is the color that has been approved by the U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Highway Administration for use in bikeways.
Question: Why does the bike lane end at Isenberg Street instead of connecting to the bike lane on University Avenue?
Answer: Just beyond Isenberg Street, the left lane ends at the Long's Drugs store which makes the connection to University Avenue very difficult. Bicyclists going to the University of Hawaii or the Manoa area are directed with Sharrows to turn left onto Isenberg Street and right onto Coyne Street to proceed to University Avenue. Bicyclists going straight on King Street are directed to wait at the corner of Isenberg St/King St, cross King Street at the traffic light and proceed on the right side of King Street.
Question: Who designed the King Street Protected Bike Lane?
Answer: The bike lane was designed in-house by the Department of Transportation Services (DTS). Please contact us at (808)768-8335 if you have further design questions.
This design sheet shows the intersection of King and Ward. Click the design sheet for a PDF.
About Construction of the King Street Protected Bike Lane
Question: How long did it take to build the protected bike lane?
Answer: Construction began at Alapai Street on September 8, 2014 and ended on December 6, 2014 for the one-way facility. Additional installations will be made to convert the facility to a two-way protected bike lane.
Update (5/2015): Conversion of the bike lane to a two-way facility began on May 4, 2015 and was completed on May 15, 2015.
Question: Who constructed the King Street Protected Bike Lane?
Answer: The bike lane was constructed in-house by the Department of Facility Maintenance (DFM). Please contact DFM at (808) 768-3343 if you have further construction questions.
Featured Articles
King Street 'Cycle Track' to Open with 'Ride Aloha' EventHonolulu Star Advertiser. December 5, 2014 by Star-Advertiser Staff
Honolulu is Getting its First Protected Bike Lane on King Street—Here’s What You Need to Know.
Honolulu Magazine. November 17, 2014 by Ambika Castle
King Street Track Should Keep Cycliclists Off Sidewalks.
Honolulu Star Advertiser. November 17, 2014 by June Watanabe
Bicycle Track Along King Street Will Yield Many Benefits, Including Safety.
Honolulu Star Advertiser. November 9, 2014 by Chad Taniguchi and Daniel Alexander
Bicycle Lane on King Street in the Works.
Honolulu Star Advertiser. September 8, 2014 by Gordon Pang
City Will Present Plans to Make Bicycle Lane on King St.
Honolulu Star Advertiser. August 28, 2014 by Star-Advertiser Staff
If you have further questions or comments, please contact:
Chris Sayers
Bicycle Coordinator
Phone: 768-8335
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.