Hilo’s Coconut Island has been closed since November 2025 after a county crew drove an 8,000-pound excavator across its pedestrian bridge and collapsed it. Hawaii County now says even a temporary fix is two years away, and full reconstruction won’t even begin until 2029.
It took 8,000 pounds to collapse the bridge.
On November 14, 2025, a county crew drove an excavator weighing roughly 8,000 pounds onto the narrow pedestrian bridge connecting Hilo to Mokuola, better known as Coconut Island. The bridge was designed for foot traffic only. It was never intended to handle heavy machinery, and it failed under the load, although it had been used this way before.
The collapse sent a worker to the hospital and immediately cut off public access to one of Hilo’s most used and most beautiful shoreline spaces, next to Queen Liliuokalani Gardens. We visited the site weeks after the collapse and reported from the scene; what has changed since then is the scale of what will come next.
A temporary fix is coming, but not for a long time.
Hawaii County is now pursuing a temporary bridge solution, likely a modular span, to restore basic pedestrian access while a permanent structure is planned, designed, and built. That first phase alone comes with a projected cost between $1.5M and $2M and, perhaps more. More importantly, that timeline stretches 18 to 24 months.
The mayor has pushed publicly for the shorter end of that window, aiming for closer to 18 months, but even that best-case scenario keeps Coconut Island closed well into 2027. That is a long time for what has long been one of the lovliest access points near Hilo.
The permanent bridge is a separate, longer project.
The temporary span is only part of the plan. The permanent replacement bridge is being handled as a completely separate project, with a current construction start targeted for 2029.
That project is expected to cost around $20M if estimates hold, with the county pursuing federal funding to help cover the cost. Planning for the permanent bridge is underway alongside the temporary solution, but the timelines do not overlap in any way that would speed up access.
One environmental review will cover both projects.
To streamline the process, Hawaii County is combining the environmental assessment for both the temporary and permanent bridges into one single review. The site sits directly on Hilo Bay, with coastal and reef considerations that require careful review, and by bundling both projects into one environmental process, the county avoids repeating those steps later.
What visitors and locals have been missing.
Coconut Island is one of the most accessible and widely used shoreline spots in Hilo, and the closure has taken away a long list of simple, everyday activities.
Swimming from the protected areas around the island remains off limits. The diving tower, which has long been a draw for both residents and visitors, has sat unused. Families who relied on the park for walks and picnics have been shut out. Fishing access has been cut off as well. Kamehameha Day celebrations that used the island as a gathering point for years have also been disrupted by the closure.
What happens next and when.
The county is issuing requests for proposals to design consultants for both projects, with bids expected to better refine final costs and timelines. They do not need a council resolution to move forward, but the pace will still depend on design, environmental review, and contractor availability.
Have you visited Coconut Island before? Were you planning to go back on an upcoming Big Island trip?
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Want a other reason why the Hawaii government is totally screwed up? There are companies, albeit on the mainland, that make precast highway overpasses that can handle an entire lane of traffic so making one that is much narrower should be no problem. Yes, it would have to be transported from the west coast but there is no doubt that it would cost way less than $20 million. But then thinking outside of the box is hardly a strength found across the Hawaiian Islands!
My friend has a river going through his property. It is about 25 ft wide. We put up a metal bridge with 2 other guys. Took us 4 weekends. Cost? About $100,000. It supports a tractor and pickup truck. And why isn’t the insurance company paying for this? I would guess they could cover 75% at least. What Hawaii really needs is a new government with no one from Hawaii elected. No family contracts, no favors owed, and no loyalty to anyone. I will go out on a limb here, but us 4 guys will build a new bridge for you and have it done in 1 month. It will only cost you $10 million, materials included.
IMO if it don’t make a buck by charging a tourist then it is on a who cares or back burner list. Look at how long it takes for Hawaii to just clean restrooms or pick up all those abandoned vehicles. IMO just another island attraction taken off Hawaii’s tourist bucket list. Anymore IMO most things fall into the closed,broken, or crash category.
I am stunned at the projected cost of $20 million which will go up for sure. The distance is most likely not even a mile. Comparing this project with the one in Waimea for road improvements and a roundabout for $21 million sounds like a bargain. And will take a few months. It’s all a head scratcher. 🤪🤙🏽
Simple prefab an aluminum section at a warehouse offsite. Load the sections onto semi trucks an deliver them to the site. Weld the aluminum sections together and crane it in or slide it down the two good sections and stop when you can secure it to the island correctly. Just cut out the bad section of bridge before installing. 20M what a joke. How come sand at Waikiki is also 20M. Is this some magical made up price tag to justify all the state fees and taxes? If it were a new hotel built in Waikiki then watch the silly thing would be constructed and opened in about 8-12 months.
Those county workers as well as the supervisor should be terminated and charged with destruction of county property!!They should’ve known better than to take a machine weighing 8000 lbs across the pedestrian bridge,a work crew could’ve done whatever cleanup/maintenance work that was required as in the past…bad judgment on the part of the supervisor is most likely the cause for this mishap!!Saving a few dollars will now costs the taxpayers millions!!
I totally agree. If anything, they could have ridden across in a golf cart, taking their hand tools with them. Unspoken issue: Hawaii has some of the strongest Government Employee Unions on the planet. State & County workers cannot be fired unless they turn into “Bonnie & Clyde” types.
Hawai’i — the Land of “Almost Right”.
And it’s been that way since pre-Statehood days … so it’s not a “recent” issue. IMO – it’s systemic, and why do I think so … ??
We first lived on Oahu during the ol’ Territorial days when Dad was still in the Army and upon retirement he became a senior manager in the operation of the nascent container ship operation around Sand Island. I’ve still got the framed letters and an award presented to him by the late, great (but controversial) Mayor Frank Fasi.
Dad saw the rampant graft and corruption 1st hand with the Longshoreman’s union vs. the container ship industry and it only accelerated w/ the advent of $tatehood (sic). Then and now, it’s still all about the $$$$ and it’s still on full-speed-ahead display.
So I wouldn’t expect a “fix” anytime soon absent a financial near-collapse in “Paradise” … Auē.
Dickie_D, Thank You for the historical insight. I’ve only been a home-owner in Hawaii for 40 years, and always wondered about those State & County contracts granted to the same “good ole boys” over & over. And very curious why so many State & County structures were designed by mainland architects, especially putting flat roofs on buildings in very heavy rainfall areas. The building that I still work in is one of those, and still has roof leaks which are still ongoing 42 years after it was built.
If ever there was another example of the gross incompetency of Hawaii State and County “governance”, this is it … as if we needed another example. Beyond ridiculous, and an insult, disgrace, and tragedy forced upon the locals and visitors alike, who can no longer enjoy the place with family and friends. If Hawaii County had an ounce of common sense, they would immediately find ways to safely transport people back and forth. The water is only a few feet deep, so shallow-draft boats would work fine. The big hotel in Kohala does that every day. Also, plank-over the concrete caved-in section to immediately allow only pedestrian traffic again. Finally, build a new bridge in a different spot, using zero concrete, only wooden pilings, which last decades.
With all the resent funding corruption and failures in leadership, State, City and county’s.
$1.15 Billion HECO, Fail.
$$$ Million Homeless, Fail
$$ Billion Rail Project, Fail
$$$ Thousands in sec-8, Fail to have fire safety inspection, Priceless lives lost in old poi factory.
Priceless lives lost from Child Protective Services, Fail.
Adult protective services, Fail. Four days ago Hawaii in National News on medical insurance fraud. By the time construction 🚧 🙄 is even considered to Possibly begin. The true scope of fraudulent activities has just begun to scratched the surface. Anyone remember Abercrombie? Exactly, the next Rail project from Hilo to Coconut Island
$20 million? Seriously?
That is truly absurd…I had some special times there during visits to Hilo.
But I just can’t wrap my head around that price tag.
I wonder if the Hawaii National Guard (or the Army Reserves located in Hawaii) have an Engineer unit?
Those guys would have something like this – the temporary one at least – knocked out in a couple of weekends.
I sure hope this “pedestrian bridge” is constructed in such a way that it is obvious it’s for pedestrians only and heavy construction equipment should not drive over it. What a shame the people of the Big Island have to pay for stupidity.
Three years to fix the bridge or three years to collect fee’s from tourists to obtain 20M in revenue so the bridge costs literally nothing to whom live there.
You are talking about 20 million for a pedestrian bridge again a pedestrian bridge. What does Hawaii think a crane is only a bird?
OMG! I just figured out why $20 million. First off is environmental issues. Then don’t forget the bike lanes and wheelchair access. Then we must have traffic lights, signage and lane markers. Seriously folks, it could cost more and take longer. Does anyone remember how long they took to reconstruct Hwy 137/Kalanianaole St? 🤪🤙🏽😆
The County made the mistake. Now they want the Federal Government to fund it ? Like a spoiled child.
Is there such a thing as competitive bidding in Hawaii? $20M? Reminds me of the $9M spent to move some gravel around to “clear a channel” at Pohoiki which the currents then filled up with sand and gravel again within 24 hours.
Coconut Island was never just a tourist stop. For a lot of families it was part of growing up on the Big Island. I learned to swim there, fish there, and just hang out there with friends and family. The loss of that space is a bigger deal than officials seem to understand.
We were planning to take our grandkids there on our next Big Island visit. It was going to be one of those easy outings with a picnic and a walk around the gardens too. Now it sounds like that will not happen for a very long time. Disappointing.
My kids loved jumping off the tower there when they were younger. It was one of those places that made Hilo special and accessible. Closing it for this long feels like losing part of the town and none of it makes sense.
This is exactly why people lose faith in government. How did the cost of the fix go up 10 times? The bridge was for pedestrians anyway I thought. Everyone knew that. Then somebody drives heavy equipment over it and now the public is the one paying for the mistake in cash and in time. And people are saying it had been used for that equipment for years.
We used to stop at Coconut Island almost every time we were in Hilo because it was easy, free, and iconic. The kids loved it. The idea that one county mistake can shut it down for years is just maddening as a Big Island resident.
Literally, only in Hawaii could something so relatively small take so incredibly long to fix, but then that is exactly what HST (Hawaiian Slow Time) is all about!
I guess you haven’t lived in California. The environmental studies and reports would take at least that long. And then it would take a couple of years to build it.
In 2007, part of the huge MacArthur Maze freeway interchange in Oakland collapsed after a tanker fire. The rebuild took less than a month.
As far as Coconut Island is concerned, it’s bizarre that no one has thought to set up a temporary rope ferry or similar service to get people onto the island. When I was there in January, I saw paddleboarders heading in that direction. It would be so to paddle or even swim there – it’s less than 100 yards from shore.
“With the County pursuing Federal funding” –Hawaii is glad to take handouts from the mainland, and then charges tourists for everything, including Beach access, that is free for Hawaii residents.
Deplorable aloha.
People forget that Hawaii residents also pay federal taxes and federal funding is something we are as entitled to as anyone else. If the federal funds are allocated for whatever category this falls under, they should be given.
People forget that they can’t have it both ways. Proud to take handouts from the mainland while restricting use and enjoyment of public lands for those deemed not local enough. Aloha
Absolutely hilarious. It’s a pedestrian bridge for goodness sake. Anywhere else in the USA, it would be done already. The biggest cost is taking away the busted part of the bridge. Are they thinking it should be made of gold?