Aliʻi Drive’s 90-day trial as one-way street to create free parking also is creating traffic woes

It’s been 10 days since a portion of the touristy Ali‘i Drive in downtown Kona-Kailua was converted into a one-way street traveling southbound as part of a 90-day trial to create 46 free parking stalls.

So far, the new traffic pattern has led to more than 30 calls to Hawai‘i County, with most of the callers complaining about the increased traffic congestion, particularly at the Hualālai Road and Kuakini Highway intersection, according to Tom Callis, spokesperson for the mayor’s office.

This intersection, where the biggest bottleneck is occurring, is the first spot where motorists traveling south on the oceanfront road can get back onto Kuakini Highway, which runs parallel to Ali‘i Drive.

Mayor Kimo Alameda said he heard from some residents claiming they were at least an hour late to work.

To address the issue, the county’s Department of Public Works has been adjusting the timing of the light. County officials said motorists had been seeing wait times of up to two minutes, depending on the day, to clear the intersection.

Alameda said he is a man of action and this one-way traffic pattern was meant to be a free parking solution, not a traffic solution.

The trial was put into place to address the skyrocketing parking prices and limited free spaces that have become a problem for the downtown business district, with fewer tourists and locals patronizing the area or doing so for less time because the meter was running. It has led to some businesses going out of business or struggling to survive.

The parking issue started in 2022, when some privately owned parking lots in downtown Kona started charging to make up for losses from the COVID-19 pandemic.

All parking lots are now paid, with fees ranging from $12 to $21 an hour. They are operated by Parklinq or Diamond Parking. There is one county-owned parking lot that offers free parking.

Alameda said: “I find for every solution, there’s a problem.”

While the one-way road has created 46 free parking stalls, Alameda wondered how much of the traffic burden the community can take. “Is it worth it for 46 free additional parking stalls?”

Ross Wilson, executive director of the Kailua Village Business Improvement District, said the complaints over the one-way road have calmed down, and people are getting used to the new traffic pattern.

Wilson, who works downtown, said he’s observed additional parking on Ali‘i Drive with available stalls on the road and in the free parking lot.

“The additional stalls have made a big difference,” Wilson said.

Wilson said the county has done a good job of syncing the traffic lights to reduce the bottlenecks, noting he counted 17 cars coming off of Ali‘i Drive from Hualālai Road and getting onto Kuakini Highway.

While Wilson hasn’t heard of a lack of business on Ali‘i Drive since the trial was put in place, some business owners say they are seeing a negative impact.

Ola Shaw recently opened Flight of Aloha theater inside the King Kamehameha Kona Beach Resort, which is located at the start of the one-way portion of Ali‘i Drive.

“That side of the street is dead,” Shaw said.

Since opening, most of the traffic the theater received was from those walking Ali‘i Drive and seeing the signs on the sidewalk. Shaw said they were seeing 60 to 100 people per day. Since the change in traffic, that number is down to 30 to 50 people per day.

In Shaw’s opinion, he believes the traffic is a big deterrent to foot traffic to the historic Kona District.

“Fixing the lights won’t matter if people aren’t going down there,” Shaw said.

Shaw said people who are driving on Ali‘i Drive aren’t circling around to check out the town because the traffic is a nuisance.

Shaw conceded this traffic pattern might be the best solution, but he’s just not seeing it.

“I’ve only seen the negative parts,” he said.

Tee Elle, who works at the snorkel rental shop Boss Frog, which is located on the one-way stretch of Ali‘i Drive, said they were dead all week since the change began. “Some days it seemed like a ghost town.”

Elle said she does expect it to be quiet since business typically slows down after Easter weekend, but picks up once summer break starts for the schools.

Elle said business has been declining on Ali‘i Drive for the past two years, which she attributes to the expensive paid parking lots.

Elle said employees of the downtown shops are using the newly created free parking stalls.

“Their cars are parked there all day, beyond the two-hour limit,” Elle said. “I can tell you that I watched an ambulance unable to get through because there was no place for the cars to pull over.”

Elle said feedback from customers indicates that it takes them 10 to 15 minutes to loop around to find a parking spot.

Alameda is still looking for feedback and ideas on how to address the traffic and parking issues on Ali‘i Drive. Click here to leave a comment with the county.