Approved City Council budget includes funding to tear down Haiku Stairs

HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) - The City Council approved a $3 billion budget for the next fiscal year.

That includes $1.3 million to begin removing the famed Haiku Stairs.

The figure is up from the original $1 million earmarked for the project.

Critics say the so-called “Stairway to Heaven” is unsafe and attracts trespassers. But the group “Friends of Haiku Stairs” is fighting to keep the landmark and says the city is underestimating costs.

Honolulu Mayor Rick Blangiardi says he’s committed to pulling the stairs down.

“We fully intend to remove Haiku Stairs,” he said, in a statement released by the mayor’s office.

“As you know, I’ve said repeatedly, that initially I thought it was a good idea to keep them. As we looked into it, I began to understand the liabilities of the situation, the trespassing, the invasive species, and just a whole lot of other things.

“This is the right thing to do, and we’re going to do it.”

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