Hawai‘i County has decided to fully rebuild the pedestrian bridge that connects the Waiākea shoreline to Mokuʻola (Coconut Island) in Hilo after the span partially collapsed last fall. The popular little island remains off limits while the Department of Parks & Recreation works out a planning and design contract and lines up money for the job. County officials say the goal is to restore safe pedestrian access and deal with the bridge’s long-term structural health, not just slap on a quick fix.
County Chooses Reconstruction Over Repair
After consulting with an engineer, Hawai‘i County’s Parks & Recreation department concluded that a full rebuild is the better option than simply repairing the damaged portion, according to the Star-Advertiser. The department is now negotiating with a consultant to take on planning and design work, which is expected to include a state-required environmental assessment.
Under the current plan, Parks & Recreation will oversee delivery of the project while the county’s Department of Public Works handles the bidding process for construction, the Star-Advertiser reported. In short, officials are treating this as a full rebuild from the ground up, not a band-aid repair.
Planning Contract, Cost And Funding
Parks director Clayton Honma told the Star-Advertiser that the county expects to pay for the reconstruction with county funds. He said a planning contract should be in place with work starting sometime in February, setting the stage for the long process of design, review and, eventually, construction.
Honma also addressed an early price tag that made the rounds. He said a previously mentioned $2 million figure “was not a figure provided for the overall project being considered,” signaling that officials are still working out the true scope and final cost of rebuilding the bridge.
How The Bridge Collapsed
The partial collapse happened on Nov. 14, 2025, when a county employee drove a mini-excavator across the elevated walkway to clear debris, according to a county news release from the County of Hawai‘i. One parks worker was taken to Hilo Benioff Medical Center for assessment, and officials immediately shut down access to the island while inspectors checked the damage.
Initial estimates put the damage around $2 million and suggested that a full reconstruction could drag on for 18 to 24 months because of permitting, engineering and environmental review requirements, local outlets reported at the time, according to Hawaii News Now.
Cultural Value And Local Impact
Mokuʻola, commonly called Coconut Island, is a compact public park that punches above its weight in local life. It is a go-to spot for picnics, family gatherings and shoreline fishing, and its sudden closure has left a very visible hole in Hilo’s bayfront routine. Residents and visitors told local media the island is a familiar community hangout, and that the loss will be felt while planners and engineers work through the long checklist of permits and designs, according to Big Island Video News.
County officials say they will coordinate with state and federal agencies throughout the environmental review process before the project moves into bidding and construction. It is a lot of paperwork standing between Hilo and a simple stroll out to Coconut Island.
Leaders have said updates will be posted as the planning contract is finalized and the schedule firms up, according to the County of Hawai‘i. For now, Mokuʻola remains closed to the public, with barricades still in place while engineers finish safety assessments.
