[FesterBestertester]

I can confirm that there is at least one person from Hawaii (Oahu) on here. Some background information on the rail may be helpful.

“The plan also includes $2.7 billion for mass-transit projects, including $2.5 billion for a fixed-rail system between Kapolei and Manoa.” Star Bulletin 2/19/2006

“On December 19, 2012 the Federal Transit Administration executed a $1.5 billion Full Funding Grant Agreement for $ 5 billion, 20-mile, Honolulu rail transit project.” Rail and Transit 12/20/2012

Note that the FTA approved a route that had already eliminated spurs to Waikiki and the University of Hawaii at Manoa, the island’s single largest source of traffic. After that happened, talk of traffic benefits all but stopped and they shifted to “transit oriented development.”

“The cost of the city’s rail project is now expected to swell to $6.57 billion as rail officials Thursday made public a new outline of the rail financial plan that incorporates additional utility work, traffic signals and finance charges that had not been included in previous cost estimates.” Star Advertiser 10/16/2015

“City transit officials announced in the spring that building rail now likely will cost an estimated $8 billion for the full 20 miles from East Kapolei to Ala Moana with 21 rail stations, about $2 billion more than what was estimated two years ago.” Star Advertiser 8/30/2016

“With the cost of rail being almost double its initial projected cost at a whopping $9.5 billion, lawmakers and citizens of Oahu alike are raising eyebrows.” Civil Beat 2/23/17

“During the Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation’s board meeting Thursday, it was shared that the increase includes $841 million in financing costs and $832 million in higher construction costs — brining the current estimate for the 20-mile project to $9.9 billion.” bizjournals 10/16/2020

“A new city estimate pushes rail’s completion date to 2033 and its total price tag, including financing, to around $11 billion.” Civil Beat 11/18/2020

“Rail’s new, official price tag is out, and the costs to build the transit line to Ala Moana have more than doubled in the past decade to $12.4 billion.

The new cost assumes that the full 20-mile, 21-station line now has a 65% chance of being ready to ride in March 2031, according to the presentation.” Civil Beat
3/12/2021

“HONOLULU (KHON2) — HART released its newest recovery plan on Friday, April 29 pegging the cost of a shortened rail route at nearly $10 billion.

HART said the estimated cost to complete rail to Civic Center instead of Ala Moana is $9.1 billion plus another $785 million in financing costs. The total would be to $9.9 billion.” KHON2 5/2/2022

The route was shortened by an additional 1.25 miles and two more stations were eliminated to bring the cost “down” to $10 billion since there won’t be enough money to complete it to Ala Moana center.