Together We Can - Move the path

SUBHEAD: Together we can get the bikepath 100% OFF of Wailua Beach. Call the Mayor at 241-4900. Image above: Invasion of Normandy Beach in WW2 by infantry on bicycles built by the British Small Arms (BSA) company. From (http://selectism.com/columns/chrisbray/2009/05/25/the-bikes-of-war) By Jonathan Jay on 15 February 2010 - Mayor Bernard's office: 241-4900 Over the last hundred years, many extremely poor choices have been been made along the mouth of the Wailua River, and the associated beach fronting Wailua-nui-a-ho`ano (The Great Sacred Wailua) in the name of progress and transport. Some of the early "boo-boos" were so stupendously outrageous, they would never be tolerated today. Here are two: Early in the 20th century, a great portion of the rocks in the heiau and place of refuge Hikini-a-ka-la (Rising of the Sun) down by what is today right next to a parking lot in Lydgate Beach were picked clean and rolled up the hill to provide a solid abutment for the bridge then being put in. Expedient yet disgraceful. Similarly, in the wake of statehood and during a frenzy of national highway building, not enough people were asking tough questions when the Kuhio Highway was upgraded by the Hawaii State DOT. This stretch of road is built directly over low sand dunes next to, and directly on the beach - which is a foolishly exposed place to run a highway. So foolish in fact, the present stone wall was built to keep ocean debris from sweeping onto the roadway by wave action. Additionally, the digging for the foundation of the roadbed must have unearthed countless bone fragments and even entire skeletons, as these dunes were intensively used a burial place by the pre-contact Hawaiians. Double dumb. Today, the building process is for more inclusive, and the public - appropriately - is making itself better heard. Hawaiian Cultural Practitioners, Environmentalists, Community Leaders, Proponents of Design Excellence and others have all weighed in to block the now defunct plan to build a boardwalk directly on the sands of Wailua beach. While these critics may not agree on every detail, to a person they have said the same thing: "DO NOT build on the beach." And the leaders have started to listen. Whereas initially, the path was to be entirely ON the beach, last week Mayor Carvalho announced he has 1/2-way shifted the plan - the path is now to be only HALF ON the beach. Cudos to the Mayor for getting it 1/2 right. Please add your voice to help him finish the second half of pulling the path entirely off the beach. With enough public support (or pressure), Mayor Carvalho can get the Hawaii State DOT to shift the highway 6 more feet mauka towards Coco Palms. Rather than tearing it down and building a new one, the existing stone wall shall remain in place. ALL construction will be mauka of it. NOTHING will be further constructed over the sands of Wailua. Not one inch. Please call 241-4900 and encourage Mayor Carvalho to find a way to get HI DOT to budge. There is plenty of room, but not a lot of time. If we speak with one voice, Together We Can get our County Officials to listen - and act.. Together We Can get state agencies to bend of the will of the people on Kaua`i. Together, We Can get the path 100% OFF the Wailua beach. .