The city’s latest projections to complete rail is nearly $7 billion, while federal transit
officials now project as much as $8.1 billion.
The question for Hawaii taxpayers is whether the advantages of stopping at Middle Street justify the inconvenience of longer travel times for a very small percentage of commuters.
Here are the pros and cons of stopping rail at the 9-acre Kalihi Transit Center at Middle Street:
>> First, it would stave off the impending devastation that elevated rail would bring to our waterfront and downtown. It would prevent this predictive declaration: “In our 100-year history, The Outdoor Circle has seen no other venture that holds the potential to degrade the landscape of Oahu.”
Those who have not seen the rail already constructed in West Oahu should visit it. Then imagine rail snaking its way along the waterfront and through our historic downtown supported by pillars that are 8 feet in diameter, the width of a city bus. And imagine the block-long stations every half-mile all the way through town.
>> Second, it would eliminate the cost of the most expensive part of the rail project from Middle Street to Ala Moana Center and the likely billions in cost overruns in this final section, which is fraught with environmental and construction difficulties.
It would also eliminate the uncertainty of the cost overruns associated with the unplanned HECO electrical-line clearance requirements in town. All of these inevitable cost overruns would be paid with Hawaii taxes; the federal government contributes nothing to cost overruns.
>> Third, it would reduce the annual operating cost of rail, which the city projects as an additional $100 million annually, likely understated and likely to be paid for by increased property taxes.
>> Fourth, it would avert future years of traffic congestion that will result from rail construction and lane closings on Dillingham Boulevard, Nimitz Highway and Halekauwila Street.
The disadvantage of stopping rail at Middle Street is that instead of being able to continue to Ala Moana Center, commuters would have to transfer to buses to get there or other final destinations.
Still, many public transportation users would take less time to get to their final destination — for example, those going to the University of Hawaii-Manoa by bus from Middle Street would get to UH as fast as any current rail option.
Those working along the King/Beretania corridor are more likely to have faster access to their workplaces by bus because the bus stops are more central to workplaces than the waterfront route that rail would take.
As for project management so far, consider that the Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation has spent hundreds of millions of dollars in planning rail but never negotiated a firm contractual arrangement with HECO for required clearances for high-voltage power lines. This omission alone is going to result in hundreds of millions of dollars in cost overruns.
Again, it’s come to this: The city’s latest estimate to complete rail has reached nearly $7 billion; the feds are projecting as much as $8.1 billion. Opponents of rail, who have followed this process closely for decades, believe it will more likely be closer to $10 billion. Whom do you believe will more likely be right?
