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One of the most famous landmarks on Oahu is about to be removed for good.
The famous haiku staircase, known by many as the Stairway to Heaven, has been targeted by Honolulu City Council for removal. A resolution passed last week calls on city council and Mayor Rick Blangardi to spend nearly $ 1 million in the budget on their removal.
“Due to the widespread illegal entry, the haiku stairs represent a significant burden and cost for the city and impair the quality of life of the residents,” said Councilor Ester Kiaaina Hawaii news now.
The staircase, originally built in the 1940s, is not open to the public and anyone caught on the stairs will be subject to trespassing charges and a $ 1,000 fine. Nonetheless, it is a popular tourist area and photo location for visitors who make their way onto the platform, which is almost 4,000 steps high.
The steps lead up the Ko’olau mountain range from Oahu to a former naval radio station that was used to transmit signals to ships operating in the Pacific Ocean. Over the years the steps have been owned by the Navy, Coast Guard, Honolulu Board of Water, and the City of Honolulu.
In 2003, the city developed plans to reopen the stairs to the public and spent nearly $ 1 million getting it repaired. But with no public access to them, those plans have been abandoned and now they are on the verge of being removed.
“The city has already spent nearly a million dollars in taxpayers’ money on renovating the stairs and hundreds of thousands of dollars in security costs,” said Councilor Brandon Elefante. “Almost two decades have passed and the various city authorities have not done much since then.”
Despite the liability concerns, not everyone agrees with the plan to remove the staircase that climbs nearly 2,500 feet from the base to the top.
“Losing the stairs would be a disaster,” Vernon Ansdell of Friends of Haiku Stairs told KITV. “This is a priceless treasure under the wind and they must not be destroyed. That would be a huge loss for Oahu, the state of Oahu, and especially for the residents on the Windward side. “
The windward side of a Hawaiian island is the north or east facing portion that is often greener and more tropical.
Ansdell’s group recently held a rally to save the stairs and urged city guides to develop a managed access plan instead.
But many neighbors advocate their removal and say Hawaii news now that during a recent surveillance, nearly 200 people were counted on the stairs in a 9 hour day.
The city council unanimously voted in favor of the removal recommendation, saying social media now had a role in the action.
“With the advent of social media, instructions for illegally accessing the haiku staircase are readily available, and productive sharing of panoramic snapshots is encouraging people around the world to venture up the stairs,” said an employee report. “There is a constant need to stop trespassing and reduce disruption in the adjacent residential areas.”
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