A community meeting held earlier this month to provide updates on the Aunuu Small Boat harbor wharf expansion project garnered a lot of feedback from Aunuu residents on safety issues and what they would like included in the project.
The meeting was hosted by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), Honolulu District, in partnership with the American Samoa Department of Port Administration and U.S. Department of Transportation Maritime Administration (MARAD).
The new facility is designed to accommodate both inter-island passenger vessels (via the Alia) and cargo operations via landing craft vessels. The estimated construction cost is $3.7 million, with a projected timeline starting in 2027 and completed before 2029.
About 20 people, mainly residents of Aunuu attended the February 19 meeting.
Residents are concerned about the extreme changes between Low Tide and High Tide and the difficulty in boarding alias at each extreme.
They requested a 2-Tier Wharf to address the tidal fluctuations.
Another request was that the new wharf be ADA (American Disabilities Act) compliant to include handrails. The lack of guardrails presents difficulty for elderly residents to board alias.
It was pointed out that when passengers return home at night especially during Hawaiian Air flight nights its difficult to cross from Auasi to Aunuu and see the harbor or wharf because there is no lighting. Attendees asked that lights be installed along with improved navigational aids. They also requested that a public restroom be built on the new wharf.
The views expressed at the meeting reflected the community’s wish to have an active role in the design development of the new wharf. The US Army Corps of Engineers, Department of Port Administration and the US Department of Transportation Maritime Administration explained that the purpose of the community meeting was to gather the idea and needs of the people most impacted by the project and to keep them informed during the design process.
Another community meeting will be scheduled in Aunuu in the near future to provide updates.
