The $13 Million Kilauea Bridge

Was the $13,000,000 Kilauea bridge really worth it? 10 months ago, as the project was first getting underway, this presented a completely different question then what it asks me today.

When I heard about the proposed cost for the Kilauea bridge, the first thing I thought was, “how in the world can you spend that much money on a little bridge?” Was it going to be gold plated and encrusted with diamonds?! Or was somebody pocketing a big chunk of the change?

Well, after seeing the new bridge, my mind is eased and I’m no longer worried that somebody lined their pockets during the project. Nor does it need any additional extravagance, such as gold or diamonds, to justify its cost. The new Kilauea bridge is 120 feet of solid concrete with two lanes, a sidewalk and easement. You can tell by the shear mass of the bridge that every penny of the budget went into the project. So yes, in monetary value, the bridge is worth (or valued at) $13 million

But today (while using the bridge to take 5 minutes off my driving time on the way home from a mountain bike ride with da boyz) I pondered the same question but in a different way. So, was the $13 million Kilauea bridge really worth it?

Well, the bridge is safer than its one and a half lane predecessor. And I will feel more comfortable walking across the structure on that spiffy new sidewalk. The additional flow of the two lanes will definitely ease traffic, especially during school rush hour. But the bridge signifies growth. Kilauea is a small North Shore town, and I want it to stay that way. A larger bridge mean plans to not only easy today’s traffic, but the traffic that will be caused by future development in my beloved neighborhood.

So, for me, no - the $13 million Kilauea bridge is not really worth it. I would have been happier with a one lane bridge without so much concrete at a fraction of the cost. Replace the old half-a-lane with a sidewalk for safety measures and da bugga’ would be good to go. I’m just not ready for Kilauea to get any bigger than it already is. Now I’m just hoping they’ll remove the traffic lights at the main intersection.