The financial deficits and construction delays of the Honolulu rail project have deterred many supporters. As its reputation falters, the general line of criticism is that the project is not only a financial burden, but it also threatens negative environmental impacts with little improvement for Hawaii’s traffic.

However, a thorough review of the data on rapid-rail transit systems prove these allegations to be premature and uninformed.

Future economic engine

Even with the deepening financial concerns of the rail project, adequate mass transportation infrastructure is essential for driving long-term economic growth.

According to the Association of American Railroads, rail systems make high investments and create high-paying industry jobs. The City and County of Honolulu revealed that the construction and maintenance of the rail will employ about 10,000 workers every year.

While the amount of time required for the rail project to break even cannot be easily predicted, to call the entirety of this project a financial burden is not only inaccurate, but completely contrary to the hard facts.

Smaller ecological footprint

According to a cohort of rail detractors, the train will run on electric power, which is produced primarily from the burning of petroleum. Therefore, it is argued that the rail will be reliant on the use of fossil fuels. While this accusation is true to an extent, it is important to consider its ecological footprint in comparison to alternatives.

Personal automobiles are the greatest polluters, with the average single passenger vehicle emitting roughly 171 grams of carbon dioxide per kilometer traveled. On the contrary, public rails emit only 41 grams of CO2. The Honolulu rail project is projected to reduce pollutant emissions by up to 5%. In addition, the footprint of elevated rail systems is a mere 36 square feet for every 100 feet of elevated track, which greatly reduces ground disturbances both during and after construction.

More public transit, less traffic

According to skeptics, virtually all aspects of life in the U.S. is dependent on the use of personal vehicles, with all other modes of urban transportation deemed irrelevant. In this regard, changing the minds of Americans who have become accustomed to a car-centric lifestyle is a near impossible task.

However, a review of the transit- oriented development framework from the City and County of Honolulu reveals promising information. Higher concentrations of jobs and housing along the corridor and the addition of other essential elements, such as public and social services, give priority to pedestrians and make the rail a desirable alternative. In support, the final environmental impact statement anticipates that the rail system will take approximately 40,000 cars off our roads every day and reduce traffic delay by approximately 18%.

The bottom line

The fact of the matter is that the rail is the most sustainable option for safeguarding Hawaii’s long-term vitality. If we consider Hawaii’s projected growth rate of 0.5% per year, simply constructing new highways or widening existing ones is not only impractical, but it does nothing more than encourage vehicle dependency and aggravate traffic congestion. Therefore, it is imperative to seek more sustainable alternatives to personal vehicle use.

Simply put, we cannot let the current challenges facing the construction of the Honolulu rail system to overshadow the many proven benefits of having a strong rapid-rail transit system in our community. While its completion has been drastically delayed, its eventual completion will undoubtedly offer a fast, safe, clean and attractive option for Hawaii’s future generations.

Lily Zheng is a master’s student of urban and regional planning at the University of Hawaii, studying transportation planning and working on a TOD concept plan for the Honolulu rail.