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In theory, Honolulu is a good candidate for a rail line. It is a densely populated city where most of the development exists in a fairly narrow corridor. That's exactly where rail makes the most sense.
On the flip side, Oahu simply doesn't have the real estate available for a rail line (or at least trying to build in the 2000's). Shoulda woulda coulda, but rail should have been done when H1 past the airport and Moanalua freeways were built in the early 70's.
On one side you have Ocean - on the other side you have mountains, and if not outright mountains, steep hills. The real estate isn't conducive to rail.
Going with the elevated guideway is one way to mitigate real estate. But, gosh - it is awful looking. Part of the charm of Hawaii is the aesthetics. And rail really detracts from that. I still don't think people on Oahu fathom it will run on Nimitz in front of Aloha tower. It reminds me of when San Francisco had the Embarcadero Freeway that ran right along the ferry building - it took an earthquake to bring it down - and it is so much better now.
They should have done everything possible to make this run on the ground even if that meant commandeering Farrington Highway, Kamehameha Highway, sacrificing Dillingham to traffic etc. They could have preserved the aesthetics and quite frankly eliminating roads or lanes would be even more of an incentive to ride it.
They should have done everything possible to make this run on the ground even if that meant commandeering Farrington Highway, Kamehameha Highway, sacrificing Dillingham to traffic etc. They could have preserved the aesthetics and quite frankly eliminating roads or lanes would be even more of an incentive to ride it.
A key component of effective, high capacity rail is grade separation. Lose that, and you have the worst of all worlds: the slow speed of buses without the advantages of routing flexibility that buses give you.
That said, I certainly do understand and agree with you about the aesthetics of elevated structures in cities, be they freeways or rail lines. If the thing couldn't have been put underground, maybe it could have been set in a trench (known as "open cut") along the roads you name, with cross streets crossing above the trench on street-level bridges. Something akin to what is shown in the first picture in this article.
A key component of effective, high capacity rail is grade separation. Lose that, and you have the worst of all worlds: the slow speed of buses without the advantages of routing flexibility that buses give you.
That said, I certainly do understand and agree with you about the aesthetics of elevated structures in cities, be they freeways or rail lines. If the thing couldn't have been put underground, maybe it could have been set in a trench (known as "open cut") along the roads you name, with cross streets crossing above the trench on street-level bridges. Something akin to what is shown in the first picture in this article.
I don't mind the elevated platforms, but would have been fine with something in a trench. Like some of the other counter-proposals, however, I do worry about the cost of such a move, especially given that I'd imagine we'd be talking about blasting, etc. And the point isn't for naught/moot, I feel, as I can see the city modifying part of the path if it ever goes beyond Ala Moana Center (and who knows if it'll ever get to Ala Moana Center at this point).
I don't mind the elevated platforms, but would have been fine with something in a trench. Like some of the other counter-proposals, however, I do worry about the cost of such a move, especially given that I'd imagine we'd be talking about blasting, etc.
The State has plenty of experience in the past with trenching - H1 from King Street to Lilliha was mostly trenched, so was much of the Moanalua Freeway (H-201).
The real problem with trenching, is those freeways were build from the late 50's to early 70's when you could blast away without any real drawbacks - you blasted, dug, you built, you move on.
Nowadays, and this is where you get real cost - you blast, find a bone - full halt. Find a bunch of bones (which they no doubt did when they did the freeways - but hey no CNN or internet then) and you may have to find a new route or do some costly relocation of remains while everyone starts flying upside down Hawaiian flags and chaining themselves to everything in site while The Rock and every celebrity joins in the protests.
They need to finish it as it was intended, and I won't vote for anyone who does not intend to finish the rail.
Would you vote for someone that just wanted to stop it and never use it? I just don't see many using it no matter where it ends unless it is free or heavily subsidized.
Would y0u vote for someone that just wanted to stop it and never use it?
It is a hypothetical that would only be valid if the statement was: Would you vote for someone who wanted to stop it and never use it and the feds approved. You can't just pull the plug without the Feds permission or that triggers, at least today, a payback of Billions.
I'd also expect anyone who says just stop it - also says, stop it and tear it down.
It is a hypothetical that would only be valid if the statement was: Would you vote for someone who wanted to stop it and never use it and the feds approved. You can't just pull the plug without the Feds permission or that triggers, at least today, a payback of Billions.
I'd also expect anyone who says just stop it - also says, stop it and tear it down.
The Feds! That's partly how we got in this mess because we were getting all this free money from "The Feds"! The feds is us! Hawaii to Feds, "the checks in the mail!". I don't see the need to pay to tear it down. Shoot, maybe we can do a "luau train" like the wine train in Napa. Let the tourist ride back and forth and eat poi!
Shoot, maybe we can do a "luau train" like the wine train in Napa. Let the tourist ride back and forth and eat poi!
All aboard the everyone - welcome to the Luau train here in wonderful Kalihi. Please keep your valuables close by.
Lets get started.
Ok everyone, thank you for riding the luau train - here on your right is beautiful Aloha Stadium - not quite state of the art, did host some pro bowls back in the day - but a nice clear example of mid 1970's construction that still exists today.
Alright, here we have Salt Lake - of course, you cannot see any Salt Lake - but I'd like to point out to you all fine examples of 1960's Hawaii architecture.
Lets move on - here we are surrounded by Pearl City. While on your trip, if you enjoy strip malls that have clearly seen better days, Pearl City is for you.
Here we are coming upon lovely Waipahu - I know you are looking hard for a difference between Pearl City but I will save you all some time.
Lets progress thru an area of nothingness - not terribly scenic, and brown most of the year from a lack of rainfall before we cross Fort Weaver Rd. And there it is folks, in the distance - Ewa Beach. Land of thousands of cookie cutter homes, the word Beach is a real stretch because none of you will actually go there - and if you enjoy flight flyovers and loud engine noise, make sure you put it on your to do list.
Now we are coming up the campus of UH West Oahu - one of the most least aesthetic campuses you'll ever see - but there it is folks.
Time to wrap this in Kapolei - now we may have concluded in the technical boundary of Kapolei, but if you look at your map, we really are a good distance from most homes, shopping, and restaurants.....
Ok, the luau train is now concluded - hope you enjoyed your trip
The State has plenty of experience in the past with trenching - H1 from King Street to Lilliha was mostly trenched, so was much of the Moanalua Freeway (H-201).
The real problem with trenching, is those freeways were build from the late 50's to early 70's when you could blast away without any real drawbacks - you blasted, dug, you built, you move on.
Nowadays, and this is where you get real cost - you blast, find a bone - full halt. Find a bunch of bones (which they no doubt did when they did the freeways - but hey no CNN or internet then) and you may have to find a new route or do some costly relocation of remains while everyone starts flying upside down Hawaiian flags and chaining themselves to everything in site while The Rock and every celebrity joins in the protests.
Ah yeah that makes sense. I know that the bone/native Hawaiian gravesite issue was a problem for part of the rail project as is, too.
All aboard the everyone - welcome to the Luau train here in wonderful Kalihi. Please keep your valuables close by.
Lets get started.
Ok everyone, thank you for riding the luau train - here on your right is beautiful Aloha Stadium - not quite state of the art, did host some pro bowls back in the day - but a nice clear example of mid 1970's construction that still exists today.
Alright, here we have Salt Lake - of course, you cannot see any Salt Lake - but I'd like to point out to you all fine examples of 1960's Hawaii architecture.
Lets move on - here we are surrounded by Pearl City. While on your trip, if you enjoy strip malls that have clearly seen better days, Pearl City is for you.
Here we are coming upon lovely Waipahu - I know you are looking hard for a difference between Pearl City but I will save you all some time.
Lets progress thru an area of nothingness - not terribly scenic, and brown most of the year from a lack of rainfall before we cross Fort Weaver Rd. And there it is folks, in the distance - Ewa Beach. Land of thousands of cookie cutter homes, the word Beach is a real stretch because none of you will actually go there - and if you enjoy flight flyovers and loud engine noise, make sure you put it on your to do list.
Now we are coming up the campus of UH West Oahu - one of the most least aesthetic campuses you'll ever see - but there it is folks.
Time to wrap this in Kapolei - now we may have concluded in the technical boundary of Kapolei, but if you look at your map, we really are a good distance from most homes, shopping, and restaurants.....
Ok, the luau train is now concluded - hope you enjoyed your trip
Put some homeless camps out there and call them cannibals. Make up some Hawaiian myth about the "Pearl" and tell them the railway was built on pillars built by menehunes. And, have guys on Waikiki street corners selling half price coupons from $150 to only $75! I see the poi bowl half full! LOL
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