Mayor: North Shore erosion underscores need to 'work with water'

SUNSET BEACH, OAHU (HawaiiNewsNow) - Crumbling asphalt forced bicyclists to veer into the parking lot at Sunset Beach on Friday morning.

City workers fenced off more than 200 feet of the bike path.

High surf has been eating away at the sand creating a 20 foot cliff along the shoreline.

On Tuesday, the path began to give way. Despite the area being fenced off, riders say it's dangerous.

"It's kind of narrow and when you're coming up on it you're kind of just figuring it out as you go so a couple more signs would be helpful," said Mike Valencius.

Butch Sheppard has lived on the North Shore since 1947. He says this is some of the worst erosion he's seen.

"It's really bad. You can tell by the steepness of it how much it's taken because usually the beach is way down there.  It's a big beach," said Sheppard.

An inspector and a city engineer were all on site Friday afternoon assessing the damage.

"I am very worried about what's happening on the North Shore," said Mayor Kirk Caldwell. "We're going to have to start thinking bout how we soften our shore and work with the water."

Caldwell says in the short-term, the path will be moved mauka and a temporary route will be established in the parking lot. No word on when that work will begin.

Meantime residents say it's time for the city to start thinking about constructing a new path.

"I think they should maybe move the path," said Sheppard.

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