SEPTEMBER 2019 RAIL REPORT

This is a brief update on the planned interim passenger service for the Honolulu rail project:

HART and the City are working together to prepare for an initial opening of passenger service of the Honolulu rail system prior to launching full service by the end of 2025. The City’s Department of Transportation Services will be in charge of operating and maintaining the rail system along with the bus and the handivan.

Introductory Service between the Kualaka’i Station (East Kapolei) and the Halawa Station (Aloha Stadium) is targeted to start in late 2020. This would include nine stations from Kapolei near the Kroc Center, through Waipahu, Pearl City, and Aiea, and include stops serving UH West Oahu, Leeward Community College, Pearlridge Mall and the Aloha Stadium.

These nine stations along the western portion of the rail alignment are nearly completed. The West Oahu station group in Kapolei is about 88% completed, the Farrington Highway station group through Waipahu is 92% complete, and the Kamehameha Highway stations through Pearl City and Aiea are 76% completed.

The Core systems includes the train cars, the automated communication and control systems which operate the trains and the stations, and the rail operations center and maintenance and storage facility, which is at 62% completion.

These system components are being constructed, installed, tested and readied. HART is taking delivery of the fully automated train cars, which are being manufactured by Hitachi Rail and shipped from its final assembly plant in Pittsburg, California. The interim service might utilize four 4-car trains with two spare trains.

The introductory passenger service will give HART and DTS staff and the general public the opportunity to get to know and learn the rail system, the stations, their locations and amenities, access to the stations and boarding areas and how to ride and use the fully automated, driverless system.

An expanded opening of rail service between the Kualaka’i Station (East Kapolei) to the Middle Street Station is targeted to begin by the end of 2023. This second opening would include stops serving Pearl Harbor and the Daniel K. Inouye International Airport. Full Revenue Service of the 20-mile, 21 station rail system to the Ala Moana Center station is scheduled to commence by the end of 2025.

The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) has approved HART’s recovery plan which clears the way for the FTA to release $744 million that is part of the city’s Full Funding Grant Agreement once the P-3 contract is successfully awarded early next year for the City Center segment.

The City Rate Commission is reviewing and making recommendations on the fares for bus service and rail, and considering such topics as whether fares will be flat rates or distance based rates, monthly and annual passes and which categories to offer, such as Adult, Youth, and Discounted eligible passes for Seniors, Disabled, Low Income, and what the appropriate fare would be for the interim period. The Rate Commission will make their recommendations to the Mayor and the City Council who will decide on the fare structure. Information on the Rate Commission is available at:
http://www4.honolulu.gov/docushare/dsweb/View/Collection-2800

For more information, please visit the HART website at www.honolulutransit.org, you can call the project hotline at 566-2299 or email a question to info@honolulutransit.org.

During the August 2019 meeting of the Pearl City Neighborhood Board, a concern was raised with an article from Civil Beat referencing the electrical power needs for Honolulu Rail Transit, and its impacts on power and electricity needs from nearby homes and businesses.

The Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation and the Hawaiian Electric Company  have coordinated numerous studies to determine the voltage characteristics on the rail  system and its impacts on HECO’s 12 kV power lines. HART can closely forecast future  power load demands using various operational scenarios.

No power related issues are anticipated.

HART continues working with HECO ahead of launching the first passenger service late next year.