Rail transit proposal advances in Council
Up next for the bill is determining where a new line would run
The City Council advanced a bill designating rail as the city's mass transit choice after hearing testimony from nearly 100 people during a nine-hour hearing yesterday.
The 7-2 vote now positions Bill 79 for a final committee meeting, before the Transportation and Planning panel on Thursday, where five proposed rail routes could be narrowed to one choice.
Councilman Romy Cachola, chairman of that committee, said they will look at several factors before making a choice:
» Whether to choose a 28-mile route from West Kapolei to the University of Hawaii at Manoa campus or a 20-mile route from East Kapolei to Ala Moana Shopping Center. Mayor Mufi Hannemann supports both.
» How to pay for the difference in cost between the shorter route, estimated at $3.6 billion, and the longer route, estimated at between $4.6 billion and $5.5 billion.
» Whether the rail line should run by the airport or through Salt Lake before heading downtown.
» Determine whether there is a better option than rail.
The Council is expected to pick a mass transit option and a route, if rail is chosen, by the end of the month before a one-half percent excise tax increase goes into effect Jan. 1 to pay for the transit system.
CINDY ELLEN RUSSELL / CRUSSELL@STARBULLETIN.COM
Members of the Associated Students of University of Hawaii at Manoa, the UH-Manoa Sierra Club and 2020 Vision attended the Honolulu City Council meeting in support of transit Bill 79 yesterday afternoon.
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The majority of those who testified yesterday asked the Council to choose the 28-mile route.
The construction trade unions came out in force, with some members carrying signs saying, "Stop the Games -- Decision Time" and "No Rail Decision, No Jobs in 2009."
They were joined by about a dozen UH students dressed in T-shirts and holding signs with the slogan "I Get Around -- Bring Rail to UHM."
Grant Teichman, president of the Associated Students of the University of Hawaii, said that a majority of students, administrators and faculty who were surveyed said they would ride rail if the route ends at the Manoa campus. Rail, supporters said, would alleviate parking issues at the university.
"I can't wait to graduate and help pay the tax," Teichman told the Council.
Chad Taniguchi of the Hawaii Bicycling League said transit could encourage things like safer bike paths.
"I'm willing to pay for transit even if I live in Kailua," Taniguchi said. "I think it's going to be great for the whole island. It's going to make our island more livable and pedestrian-bike-friendly."
Waikiki hotel worker Mason Chung said a rail line to the tourist district would help ease the pain of trying to find a parking space. This is an area unlikely to see more parking added for another five to 10 years -- for as long as it would take to build the rail system.
"I talked to my friends on the mainland who spend two to three hours driving to work ... my car would be more important to me than my wife if you spend that much time in your car," Chung said.
Councilman Cachola asked developers, business people and shopping center executives who advocated for the longer route how they would pay for the difference in cost and whether they would consider another increase in the general excise tax to fund it.
Cachola also asked shopping center developers whether they would build transit stations at their centers for free for the city.
"I believe it's a negotiable item," said Dwight Yoshimura, senior vice president of General Growth Properties, which operates Ala Moana Center.
But some said that the city should stick to the shorter route if it is affordable.
"We need to accommodate what we can afford," professional planner Keith Kurahashi said.
And some Waikiki residents said they don't want rail in their neighborhood.
There were also critics at the meeting who continued to hammer away that rail is too expensive and won't help with Honolulu's traffic woes.
"So much money, way too much money," Lois Abrams testified.
Residents of Salt Lake asked the Council to consider drawing the rail line through their community because they already have a ready ridership with more than 50,000 residents in Salt Lake, Aliamanu and Foster Village.
Toru Hamayasu, the city's chief transportation planner, said an airport route is being recommended because ridership numbers are predicted to be higher, with more than 80,000 employees who work at the airport, Hickam Air Force Base, Pearl Harbor and Iwilei.
Councilman Charles Djou, who along with Councilwoman Barbara Marshall voted against the bill, tried unsuccessfully to add a managed lane or high occupancy toll lanes as an option to the bill for the Council to consider.