Honolulu City officials are scrambling to make the final adjustments before the IUCN World Conservation Congress. Around 8,000 delegates and dignitaries are expected to attend the nine day event which kicks off on Thursday. A potential visit from President Obama has also heightened levels of security and traffic issues.
Areas around the Hawai‘i Convention Center and Neal S. Blaisdell Center will be the most congested as officials shut down streets surrounding the properties. Victoria Street near the Honolulu Museum of Art will also be closed and the Blaisdell box office will be temporarily moved to the Waik?k? Shell.
Law enforcement official do expect protests to occur during the conference and say the area near the statue in front of the Hawai‘i Convention Center will be designated as an area for peaceful protest. Officials advise drivers to avoid Kapi‘olani and Ward areas and thank the public for their patience. Mark Garrity is the acting director of the city’s Department of Transportation Services.
Garrity says blockades and closures for Thursday’s opening festivities will be removed later that evening… and traffic is expected to return to normal.
