4 possible paths for fixed-guideway transit from Kapolei to UH-Manoa
>> City meetings will introduce transit options
The "Honolulu High-Capacity Transit Corridor Project" report, issued by the city last week, introduces various traffic alternatives for the area stretching from Kapolei to the University of Hawaii at Manoa. The report was released in advance of this week's "scoping meetings" that will invite public input. It includes several options, such as enhanced bus service and so-called "managed lanes" dedicated to buses and high-occupancy vehicles. Below are the four maps and explanations for "fixed-guideway alternatives." According to the city Department of Transportation Services, which supplied the maps below, these alternatives could use any fixed-guideway transit technology that meets performance requirements and could either be automated or employ drivers. Station and supporting facility locations would be determined later. Supporting facilities would include a vehicle maintenance facility and park-and-ride lots. The alternative would be within existing streets or highway rights of way where possible but would require the acquisition of additional property in some locations.
ALTERNATIVE A: KAMOKILA BOULEVARD TO UNIVERSITY
ALTERNATIVE 4A: Fixed-Guideway Alternative -- Kamokila Boulevard/Salt Lake Boulevard/ King Street/Hotel Street/Alakea Street/Kapiolani Boulevard alignment
This route would begin at a transit terminal facility on the Waianae side of Kalaeloa Boulevard in Kapolei.
It would follow Kapolei Parkway, turn onto Kamokila Boulevard and continue along Farrington Highway. On the Koko Head side of Kapolei Golf Course Road, the guideway could be located either at street level with limited crossings or on an elevated structure.
Past Fort Weaver Road, the guideway would be elevated and follow Farrington Highway to Kamehameha Highway.
In the vicinity of Aloha Stadium, the alignment would turn to follow Salt Lake Boulevard onto Pukoloa Street in the Mapunapuna industrial area, then continue elevated over Moanalua Stream, following North King Street to Iwilei Road.
After crossing Iwilei Road, the guideway would descend to street level and follow Hotel Street in downtown Honolulu. The line would operate at street level on Hotel Street, crossing traffic at intersections, with transit signal priority to minimize delays.
At Alakea Street the guideway would begin to descend into a tunnel with a portal at Richards Street. The guideway would continue in a tunnel under the civic center past Alapai Street and then follow Kapiolani Boulevard to Dreier Street in Kakaako. The guideway would turn makai and transition to an elevated structure on private property between Dreier and Kamani streets.
Following Waimanu Street past Kamakee Street, the guideway would turn mauka and follow Kona Street in the Koko Head direction past Ala Moana Center. It would turn mauka just before Atkinson Drive and then Koko Head on Kapiolani Boulevard to University Avenue.
The guideway would then turn mauka and follow University Avenue past the H-1 freeway, ending at a proposed terminal facility in the University of Hawaii at Moana's lower campus.
ALTERNATIVE B: NORTH-SOUTH ROAD VIA CAMP CATLIN ROAD TO KAPAHULU
ALTERNATIVE 4b: Fixed-Guideway Alternative -- North-South Road/Camp Catlin Road/King Street/Queen Street/Kapiolani Boulevard Alignment
This route would begin at the transit terminal facility in Kapolei and follow Kapolei Parkway to North-South Road, turn mauka to Farrington Highway and then continue in the Koko Head direction along Farrington Highway. Koko Head of Kalaeloa Boulevard, the guideway could be located either at street level with limited crossings or on an elevated structure. On the Koko Head side of Fort Weaver Road, the guideway would be elevated and follow Farrington Highway to Kamehameha Highway.
Near the airport viaduct, the alignment would follow the mauka side of the H-1 freeway to Camp Catlin Road, then turn mauka and continue elevated to Salt Lake Boulevard, turning Koko Head, over Pukoloa Street in the Mapunapuna area past Moanalua Stream, then along North King Street.
Between Liliha Street and Iwilei Road, the guideway would turn makai over property to be acquired or over Nuuanu Stream, then follow Nimitz Highway Koko Head to Queen Street in downtown Honolulu, then along Queen Street past Kamakee Street in Kakaako following the new Queen Street Extension alignment.
Property on the mauka side of Waimanu Street would be acquired to allow the alignment to cross over to Kona Street.
As in Alternative 4a, the guideway would run above Kona Street through Ala Moana Center and turn mauka to follow Kapiolani Boulevard to University Avenue where it would again turn mauka to follow University Avenue past the H-1 freeway to a proposed terminal facility in UH-Manoa's lower campus.
Design options:
» A branch line could extend from a transfer point at Ala Moana Center or the Hawai'i Convention Center into Waikiki following Kalakaua Avenue to Kuhio Avenue, then extending along Kuhio Avenue to the vicinity of Kapahulu Avenue.
ALTERNATIVE C: FORT WEAVER ROAD TO UNIVERSITY
ALTERNATIVE 4c: Fixed-Guideway Alternative -- Fort Weaver Road/Farrington Highway/Kamehameha Highway/Dillingham Boulevard/Kaaahi Street/Beretania Street/King Street/Kaialiu Street Alignment
This route would begin at the transit terminal facility in Kapolei, following Kapolei Parkway to Wakea Street, turn makai to Saratoga Avenue in the old Barbers Point Naval Air Station. The route then travels Koko Head along a planned extension of Saratoga Avenue and Geiger Road onto Fort Weaver Road in Ewa.
Continuing mauka on Fort Weaver Road, the alignment would turn Koko Head onto Farrington Highway and follow Farrington Highway on an elevated structure to Kamehameha Highway. At the Pearl Harbor interchange, the guideway could continue either at street level in the median of Nimitz Highway under the viaduct or continue elevated along the mauka side of the H-1 freeway to Dillingham Boulevard, then follow Dillingham Boulevard Koko Head to Kaaahi Street in Iwilei.
The guideway would descend to a tunnel portal in the vicinity of Kaaahi Street, continue through a tunnel under Aala Park and Nuuanu Stream, and then follow Beretania Street. It would transition to an elevated structure on the makai side of Beretania Street between Punchbowl Street and Alapai Street. The guideway would cross over Alapai Street, turning makai to continue above South King Street to Kaialiu Street in Moiliili, where it would turn mauka to cross over University Avenue and the H-1 freeway to a proposed terminal facility in UH-Manoa's lower campus.
Design options:
» Near Middle Street, the guideway could cross over to North King Street and follow the street Koko Head, then descend to a tunnel portal in property to be acquired near Liliha Street.
» Another alignment option could serve Ala Moana Center by continuing underground to follow Kapiolani Boulevard to Dreier Street or to follow Kawaiahao Street. The guideway would transition to an elevated structure for those two alternatives.
ALTERNATIVE D: NORTH-SOUTH ROAD VIA FARRINGTON HIGHWAY TO WAIKIKI
ALTERNATIVE 4d: Fixed-Guideway Alternative -- North-South Road/Farrington Highway/Kamehameha Highway/Airport/Dillingham Boulevard/Hotel Street/Kapiolani Boulevard with Waikiki Spur Alignment
This route begins at the transit terminal facility in Kapolei and follows Kapolei Parkway to Wakea Street, then turns makai to a future alignment of Wakea Street to Saratoga Avenue. The guideway would continue on future extensions of Saratoga Avenue and North-South Road, and follow North-South Road to Farrington Highway.
On the Waianae side of Fort Weaver Road, the guideway could be either at street level with limited street-level crossings or on an elevated structure. Koko Head of Fort Weaver Road, the guideway would be on an elevated structure and follow Farrington Highway to Kamehameha Highway.
The guideway would be elevated along the makai side of H-1 from Pearl Harbor Interchange to Keehi Interchange, cross over Keehi Interchange to Dillingham Boulevard and follow Dillingham Boulevard Koko Head to Kaaahi Street.
Near Kaaahi Street the guideway would descend to street level and cross North King Street onto Hotel Street. The line would operate at street level with transit signal priority on Hotel Street to minimize delays between River Street and Alakea Street.
As in Alternative 4a, the guideway would begin to descend into a tunnel with a portal at Richards Street and would then continue in a tunnel under the civic center to past Honolulu Hale, turning makai under South King Street, following Kawaiahao Street, where it would transition to an elevated structure past South Street. The guideway would continue on Kawaiahao Street to near Kamakee Street, where property on each side of Kamakee Street would be acquired to allow the alignment to cross over to Kona Street. As in Alternative 4a, the guideway would run above Kona Street through Ala Moana Center and turn mauka to follow Kapiolani Boulevard to University Avenue, where it would turn mauka to follow University Avenue over H-1 to UH-Manoa's lower campus.
A branch line would extend from a transfer point to Ala Moana Center or the convention center, into Waikiki following Kalakaua Avenue to Kuhio Avenue.