Hawai‘i Island cyclists, state representative ride Route 130 for bike safety advocacy

Members of the cycling community on Nov. 2 joined a state representative in a group ride to advocate for safer bike routes on Hawaiʻi Island.

The ride, hosted by the nonprofit Hawaiʻi Public Health Institute, was intended to demonstrate that Route 130, from Keaʻau to Pāhoa, is used regularly by cyclists for recreation and commuting purposes despite safety concerns.

State Rep. Greggor Ilagan (District 4, Lower Puna) and 21 cyclists from across Hawai‘i Island convened at the Herbert Shipman Park in Keaʻau to begin the nearly 22-mile roundtrip journey to the Billy Kenoi Park in Pāhoa.

The participants were reminded of bike safety procedures by People for Active Transportation Hawaiʻi spokesperson Franz Weber, who is also a member of the Hawaiʻi Cycling Club.

The participants, who had varying experiences with the route, from having never ridden on the road to using it regularly, ventured out under cloudy skies.

After a brief rest at Billy Kenoi Park, the group engaged in a “road audit,” providing feedback on what they appreciated about the route’s infrastructure and what they thought could be improved.

Many commented on needing more landscape maintenance and consistent, straightforward signage. Others appreciated the visibility of the road striping, stating that it made them feel safer during the ride.

Participants experienced more safety issues riding the reverse side of the highway. They noted
more debris on the north route versus the south route, mostly likely due to the proximity of the refuse transfer station.

Also discussed were the newly installed delineators that obstructed the bike lane at Paradise
Road and Shower Lane and the narrow bike lane around the roundabouts.

Another issue was the need to turn left into Keaʻau from the highway. Instead of crossing two lanes of high-speed traffic to access the left turn lane, the group opted to utilize the pedestrian crosswalk to navigate the road safely.