$3.3 million renovations aimed at the Arawai Golf Course

A more than $3.3 million safety improvement project at the city-run Alawai Golf Course will begin later this month.

The Design and Construction Bureau said work will begin on July 14th to improve aging, degraded pedestrian and vehicle bridges at the municipal golf course at 404 Kapahulu Ave., located in the vicinity of the Waikiki and the Alawai Canal.

Work scheduled to be carried out from 7am to 3:30pm on weekdays, excluding holidays, is expected to be completed by December 2026.

The golf course project awarded to Mocon Corp. includes the removal of an existing pedestrian bridge and the construction of a new one between the driving range and its parking lot, the city said.

“Currently the pedestrian bridge is degraded and the vehicle bridge has a dark vert of severely damaged concrete,” said Haku Milles, director of DDC. “These conditions can raise structural safety concerns and impair both pedestrian access and vehicle flows between Kapaful Avenue, clubhouse, parking and driving ranges. All of these are essential for daily operations and emergency access.”

He said, “Both these bridges were completed around 1975, and as part of Honolulu’s redevelopment project, it’s about 50 years old.”

Mills noted that upgrades to these bridges had not occurred before.

Access to the clubhouse, driving range, golf course and parking will remain open throughout the construction, the city said.

During the construction period, the public is encouraged to take caution when traveling the area and to follow all posted warning signs, barriers, traffic management equipment and personnel instructions.

The city said the unfortunate condition of the affected bridges has not raised public concern.

“There were no complaints about the actual condition of the bridge, but rather we were subject to the inconvenience of closing the pedestrian access to the bridge from a driving range parking,” said Jordan Abe, city golf course system administrator. “We have taken proactive steps to inspect the bridge and found that the condition of the pedestrian bridge in its driving range is not safe for public use.

“Therefore, we quickly closed access to the bridge and parking,” he added.

The city said it has not received any such reports as far as the two bridges that cause injuries and accidents to golfers or the public.

“Zero has reported accidents related to the use and condition of these bridges,” Abe said.

According to the Hawaii chapter of the American Golf Course Directors’ Association, the 18-hole Arawai golf course is considered flat and sporty, offering views of Diamond Head, Coolau Mountain and Waikiki skyline.

Designed by Donald Mackay, the course opened in 1931 and spans the group for 6,208 yards.

Alawai Golf Course is one of six golf courses operated by the city’s Office of Enterprise Services. According to the city, it is the only urban area with an operating budget funded primarily by revenue generated from public events and activities.