Mayor Victorino hosts blessing of Northshore Greenway project

Mayor Michael Victorino hosted a blessing today of the Northshore Greenway project. The last piece of the 3-mile long non-motorized pathway was completed in April 2020 in the vicinity of the Maui Country Club Golf Course and Baldwin Beach Park. The COVID-19 pandemic and gathering restrictions postponed a blessing ceremony until Tuesday morning.

"This blessing and public recognition of the completion of this project was long overdue," Mayor Victorino said. "This brings to life the dream to build a safe, family friendly path to bicycle from Kahului to Paia."

"I would like to thank bicycling advocates, the Department of Public Works, our Spreckelsville-Paia community and everyone who helped create this public resource for safe walking, jogging and biking," Mayor Victorino said. "The Northshore Greenway provides a pathway for family and friends, keiki and kupuna alike, to walk, jog or roll. Non-motorized forms of transportation are great aerobic exercise, and they help reduce our carbon footprint in this era of climate change."

Speakers at the blessing event included Dave DeLeon, an avid bicyclist who served as an executive assistant and staffed the Mayor's Bicycle Advisory Committee under former Mayor Linda Lingle; and Saman Dias, chair of the Maui Bicycling League. The Rev. Kalani Wong conducted the blessing.

Phase 4 was the last phase of the project between Ulupua Place and Baldwin Beach Park. The greenway was a project by the County of Maui Department of Public Works. The project contractor was Hawaiian Dredging Construction, and project engineer was R.T. Tanaka Engineers.

Last year, Mayor Victorino participated in a bike riding event with the Maui Bicycling League to promote the public use of the Northshore Greenway.

"Mahalo to the Maui Bicycling League for demonstrating how bike riding away from traffic creates a safe and much more enjoyable experience," Mayor Victorino said.

May is National Bike Month, which is celebrated by the League of American Bicyclists and recognized by communities nationwide.