Oʻahu Woman Fights Ala Wai Bridge, Demanding Deeper Environmental Scrutiny

Laura Ruby, a longtime Mōʻiliʻili artist and cemetery restorer, has waged a nearly 20-year campaign to block the proposed pedestrian bridge across the Ala Wai Canal, pushing for a full environmental impact study and alternative designs. Her repeated resolutions and frequent appearances at neighborhood boards helped slow the project, reshape its plans, and prompt more community input, even as bids are opened and a shortlist of designs is prepared for final approval. The city contends the review is progressing, while Ruby remains convinced the bridge is unnecessary, oversized, and risky for local residents.