The County of Hawaiʻi has announced that Mayor Kimo Alameda will provide an update on parking solutions for Aliʻi Drive during the Mālama Kailua Village community event this Saturday. The event, held from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Hale Halawai, will feature Mayor Alameda speaking at 12 p.m. to share plans to add on-street parking by converting Aliʻi Drive into a one-way street between Kailua pier and Hualālai Road.

The proposed one-way conversion would act as a pilot program to address parking needs for downtown businesses. If the project is successful, the County would seek approval from the County Council to adopt the new traffic pattern within 90 days. Residents are encouraged to join the event on Saturday to provide their input on how to improve parking and traffic flow in the business area.

Under the proposed traffic pattern, traffic would move in a south-bound direction, starting after the pier. Vehicles exiting the pier would have the option to turn either left or right. The County has released a proposed traffic pattern, which can be viewed here.

“The one-way conversion would act as a pilot program to address parking needs for downtown businesses,” Mayor Alameda said. “If the project is successful, we would seek approval from the County Council to adopt the new traffic pattern within 90 days. We encourage residents to join us this Saturday to provide their input on how we can improve parking and traffic flow in the business area.”

The Mālama Kailua Village community event is a free event that features live music, local food, and activities for all ages. The event aims to bring together the community to discuss ways to improve the Kailua Village area. The County’s announcement of the parking solution update has generated excitement among residents, who have long been concerned about the lack of parking in the area.

The proposed one-way conversion is expected to provide additional on-street parking spaces, which would benefit downtown businesses and visitors alike. The County Council will review the success of the pilot program and decide whether to adopt the new traffic pattern permanently.