History
The original bridge at this location was a narrow two-lane wooden structure built shortly after the dredging of the Ala Wai Canal in the 1920s. With increasing traffic into Waikiki, the old bridge was deemed inadequate by the 1950s. Plans for a new, expanded bridge were approved in 1957 by the Territorial government of Hawaii. Construction began in 1958, and the bridge opened to traffic in early 1959. The project reused existing concrete piers from the earlier bridge. The contractor was John L. Young Construction & Engineering Company. The bridge played a role in alleviating traffic congestion into Waikiki and reflected infrastructure modernization efforts as Hawaii approached statehood.Design and characteristics
The McCully Street Bridge is a seven-span reinforced concrete slab structure. Its total length is approximately , with a width of about . The bridge carries six lanes of vehicular traffic and includes sidewalks on both sides for pedestrians. The design is functional and utilitarian, representative of mid-20th-century public infrastructure.Renovations and improvements
In 2004, the City and County of Honolulu undertook structural rehabilitation of the bridge, including deck repairs and upgrades to railings and sidewalks. In 2017, the bridge underwent further maintenance involving lane closures to address concrete spalling and minor structural repairs. Work was scheduled during off-peak hours to reduce traffic disruptions. In 2016, the Ala Wai Complete Streets Implementation Report proposed modifications to improve pedestrian and bicycle access. Recommendations included narrowing vehicle lanes and removing the southbound right-turn slip lane onto Ala Wai Boulevard.See also
*References
{{reflist Bridges completed in 1959 Road bridges in Hawaii Bridges in Hawaii Transportation in Honolulu