Groundbreaking Scheduled on Honolulu Rail System

Feb. 22 will be the formal public ceremony of groundbreaking for the $5.5 billion Honolulu rail system. City officials are hoping development around the 21 stations will soon follow. Open grassy areas, park and ride stations, multi-family housing, Kapakahi Stream restoration, mini parks and retail plazas are all part of the city's vision for transit-oriented development, or TOD, along the rail route. Federal funding programs can be used for capital projects that support such development.

Negotiating with property owners is one of two actions the city was authorized to perform after the Federal Transit Administration issued its record of decision last month. The record of decision ended the environmental review, a process stalled last year by former Gov. Linda Lingle's desire to conduct a financial analysis of the project. The other action was the relocation of utilities, the reason for Tuesday's groundbreaking.

"(The rail project is) not about transportation per se," said Paul Brewbaker, principal of TZ Economics and chairman of the state Council on Revenues. "It's about housing, it's about development." He said history has shown that development has occurred depending on a community's method of transportation. "Now you can't get to Waikiki from the freeway," Brewbaker said. "But what was life like a century ago? Most people lived in walking distance from the mill, the cannery, the school and from work. ... Part of the change involves the change in transportation technology itself."

The 21 stations will be in communities including Waipahu, Pearl City, Aiea, Kalihi, Chinatown, downtown and Kakaako. There will also be stations at the University of Hawaii's West Oahu campus, Leeward Community College, Pearl Highlands, Pearlridge, Aloha Stadium, Honolulu Airport and Honolulu Community College.

"Many people have waited so long and worked hard to finally get to this point," Mayor Peter Carlisle said in a statement. "This project will provide thousands of jobs for our local work force, relieve traffic congestion and pave the way for an exciting and better future for Oahu residents."