HAWAI'I KAI — Residents want the city to reopen a beach accessway used by surfers in trouble off the rocky coastline of the popular spot called China Walls.

The city closed the accessway six months ago because it was deemed unsafe.

But surfers and others say the closure in itself presents a safety issue. They say the access is vital as a "safety valve" for ocean goers who get into trouble, and allows them to safely get out of the water into a small cove in the steep, rocky cliffs.

"Without the finger (the closed accessway) open, it would be treacherous for anyone injured," said Jim Kirk, who grew up in the Portlock area and surfs there. "This isn't just about access for rescuers and lifeguards, it's about self-rescuing. This is a known safety zone."

In June, the city erected a fence and closed off the accessway, saying it is closed until further notice because the stairs and railing leading from the ocean to the land are crumbling and vegetation along the public right of way is overgrown.

Surfers and community members say they can fix the crumbling concrete, rusted-out railing and overgrown trees and make the accessway safe with a mixture of volunteer help and about $10,000.

City officials, however, said any work done on the accessway needs to be done to current construction standards and possibly up to the standards of the Americans With Disabilities Act.

That could cost upward of $150,000, said Lester Chang, city Department of Parks and Recreation director.

Over the years, the concrete stairway and a metal railing have fallen into disrepair, Chang said.

"There's no easy fix for this," Chang said. "We're at the point where we decided we needed to go through the process. Hopefully we'll be able to get it done."

The accessway, known as the "finger" by surfers, fishermen and divers in the area, is one of four public rights of way in the Portlock area.

The city calls this accessway the Hanapepe Brow, part of a series of numbered emergency accessways used by rescuers.

"Closing off the public's ocean access at the Hanapepe Brow provides a false sense of security, especially in a lifesaving situation where seconds count," said Elizabeth Reilly, a member of the Hawai'i Kai Neighborhood Board, which each month since June has been taking up the issue of reopening the access. "It needs a short-term, temporary fix dedicated to immediately removing the gate, supported by a public-private partnership approach."

In August, the city met with surfers, neighborhood board members and residents to discuss the closure, Kirk said.

Surfer Kyle Stanford said the access helps when big surf draws people to China Walls, up the street.

"You gotta have a place like this open," Stanford said.

The area provides a safety valve for the entire China Walls area, said John Clark, author of the book "Beaches of Hawai'i."

"Everyone who jumps off the cliffs at China Walls is not able to climb back up," Clark said. "This is a safer way to get out of the water."

The next right of way is about 300 feet down the coastline, he said.

"I've come up the finger all bleeding and it was easy," Kirk said. "Coming in by Pillars (by the old Kaiser estate) would be treacherous and it's so far from China Walls. This is not an area known for its safety and why make it harder and more unsafe?"