Rail costs likely will soar higher

"Price tag soaring" (Star-Advertiser, Dec. 19) should come as no surprise to anyone.

At a seemingly generous $1 billion, the contingency fund was used as a crutch for every cost overrun since the start of the project. The contingency fund was $556 million just a short time ago, in September 2014. That was before the $110 million cost overrun for nine of 21 transit stations.

But now it is reported that the cost of rail has soared between $550 million and $700 million, not only wiping out the contingency fund but going into the red at least $300 million.

The project just started construction and hasn’t even started in the most likely difficult and more expensive area of the second phase — Aloha Stadium to Ala Moana Center.

Since the contingency fund is gone, what will the Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation use as a means of convincing the taxpayers that rail will come in on budget and on time?

Earl Arakaki
Ewa Beach

Money for rail had better uses

While I admire Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation CEO Dan Grabauskas for taking an "inform-as-we-go" strategy, it would be best to extrapolate from other comparable public works rail transit projects. From that I believe the cost of the Honolulu rail project will eventually be double the $5 billion estimate.

That doesn’t even include the annual operating costs, which also have been grossly underestimated to be just $100 million annually.

So I expect the general excise tax extension for rail transit development to become perpetual in order to fund the construction cost overruns, then the operating costs.

Using the Ewa Makai Middle School as an example, we could rebuild more than 100 of the public schools on Oahu for the cost of this rail system, which to me would have been a higher and better use of $10 billion.

Von Kenric Kaneshiro
Liliha

It’s not too late to alter rail plan

Two thoughts emerge on rail financing.

If state Sen. Jill Tokuda and state Rep. Sylvia Luke want to help, it is time for them to pass legislation that will eliminate the state’s 10 percent "rake-off" from the general excise tax surcharge for the general fund. I suggest that Gov. David Ige make this a key item in addressing the Legislature, to prevent another $150 million or so from being diverted over the remaining life of the surcharge.

Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation CEO Dan Grabauskas was correct in stating that federal funding would be lost if the guideway were to be switched to use by buses.

I would remind him, however, that magnetic levitation is acknowledged by the Federal Transit Administration as a rail technology. Switching to urban maglev would not only save money on construction for the remainder of the guideway, but also would reduce costs for operations and maintenance by 25-30 percent over steel wheels.

It is not too late.

Frank Genadio
Kapolei

Chaminade gave us great present

Reading the sports section on Friday made me reminisce about Christmas 32 years ago ("Now is never," Star-Advertiser, Dec. 19), waking up and reading the headlines, "Yes Virginia, there is a Chaminade."

What a wonderful day in Hawaii sports history, having Chaminade beat Virginia and Ralph Samson.

Even more special for me wasChaminade is my alma mater. That week Samson came down to Fort DeRussy to watch Wilt Chamberlain play volleyball with us. Samson got a little bit of razzing, but was a very good sport. I think he was just in awe to meet Chamberlain.

Lizette Haneberg
Hawaii Kai

Liberal zoning hikes land value

The Dec. 21 "Island Voices" article maintains that inclusionary zoning will produce more affordable housing ("Inclusionary zoning succeeds in adding affordable housing," Star-Advertiser, Dec. 21).

My degrees in economics, city planning and government management tell me otherwise.

Anything done to relax development standards primarily results in an increase in land values. If you can build more units on a given piece of land, the increased value of the land becomes part of the cost to buy a unit. The previous value of the land no longer exists, especially if it is resold after standards are relaxed. This is exemplified by land owners’ continued quest for "upzoning" of their land.

Reducing setbacks, raising height limits and increasing floor-area ratios will not result in more affordable housing, just make land more expensive.

Alternatives, such as requiring a significant percentage of units with affordable prices and the Maui County requirement for workforce housing, can reduce housing costs by helping to keep the land values in check.

Chuck Prentiss
Kailua

Run HECO from here, not Florida

Let’s have the City and County of Honolulu buy Hawaiian Electric Co.

Then the money from customers would stay in Hawaii’s economy, the utility would be concerned with local needs, and decisions would be made in Honolulu Hale instead of a boardroom in Florida.

Thomas Spring
Kaimuki

Cycle track will reduce traffic

The truth about the King Street Cycle Track:

» This is the first substantial piece of biking infrastructure Hawaii has ever had, and it will be growing.

» Cycle tracks cause traffic like the moon causes a sunburn. Bikes and alternate transport are the relief valves we need with so many cars on a tiny island.

» On a city/island of almost 1 million people who keep running over their neighbors, we have to separate the infrastructure from the car grid. Sharrows and bike lanes help, but they do not provide places for cyclist to safely get around.

» December and the holidays are always gridlocked in Hawaii. In January, you won’t even notice the cycle track is there except when you are using it.

» 300 bikes can fit in one lane a quarter-mile long. 300 cars are over 1 mile long.

Getting a few hundred people out of cars at rush hour will make a huge difference to traffic.

David Nash
Member, McCully-Moiliili Neighborhood Board

A holiday from baggage fees

Since Hawaiian Airlines is flying high, enjoying the best of both worlds withlower fuel prices and reaping a bonanza in baggage fee revenues, wouldn’t it be splendiferous and inkeeping with the spirit of aloha if our state’s largest carrier would forego and forget charging baggage feeson Christmas Day?

I’d love to see the spirit of giving back for a change rather than taking. That simple gesture certainly couldn’t hurt Hawaiian Air’s reputation for spreading aloha in the kindest way on ChristmasDay.

Mele Kalikimaka.

McWarren J. Mehau
Glenwood Gardens, Hawaii island