On Monday, the Hawaii Department of Transportation held a dedication ceremony for the completion of the Leeward Bikeway that connects the Ewa and Central Oahu communities.

Dedicated for use by bicyclists and pedestrians, the Leeward Bikeway sits within the former Oahu Railway & Land Company right-of-way between Philippine Sea Road in Ewa and Waipahu Depot Street. Its completion was finalized after a new 3.51-mile path was built to connect West Loch Bike Path and the existing Pearl Harbor Historic Trail.

“The state is proud to support projects like the Leeward Bikeway, which have potential to improve the health of our communities,” said Gov. Josh Green in a release. “The opening of the path also expands access for community members to the scenic, natural and historic resources of the Pearl Harbor National Wildlife Refuge.”

Work on the 3.51-mile stretch included construction of 723 feet of a retaining wall and utility relocation; demolition and construction of new bridge structures at Waikele Stream and Kapakahi Stream; paving the nine-to-10-foot path with asphalt concrete; and installation of concrete posts to prevent the use of the bikeway by motorized vehicles.

Construction began in mid-2020 at a cost of $15.7 million, according to HDOT.

“The Leeward Bikeway is a critical element to complete the statewide pedestrian, bicycle and transit network included in our Navahine settlement agreement,” said HDOT Director Ed Sniffen. “We appreciate the support and kokua of our partners, especially the Section 106 parties, as we worked to make this regional multimodal connection a reality.”

According to HDOT, the ADA-compliant bikeway will improve safety between Ewa and Aiea by removing the potential for conflict between bicyclists, pedestrians and motorists.