The Honolulu League of Women Voters held a forum on rail transit this past Saturday, October 27 at the Hawaii State Capitol. The forum panel featured City Councilman Gary Okino, City Transportation Planning Director Toru Hamayasu who both support the $6.4 billion rail project championed by Honolulu Mayor Mufi Hannemann, and City Councilwoman Ann Kobayashi and Dr. Panos Prevedouros, both advocating an alternative to fixed rail. A packed crowd filled the tiny conference room at the capitol with the arguments on both sides of the issue often turning into a sniping session between some of the panelists.
The forum was moderated by JoAnn Maruoka of the League wof Women Voters. That organization opposes the rail project stating that it "will lead our city into a fiscal black hole without improving traffic conditions." The rail proposal fails Mayor Hannemann's campaign test on "do we need it", "can we afford it" and "can we maintain it".
City Councilwoman Ann Kobayashi announced yesterday that she favors a busway system over fixed rail.
While I vehemently oppose the rail tax as well as the fixed rail project proposal itself, I could probably support the busway system if it is built only along the rural portions of the transit corridor and does not take away lanes on our roadways for transit use only. The tax is already in place and at this point in time, I don't see that being repealed. So if we have to spend that money, a bus guideway will be a better solution than a "choo-choo train." Hotlanes will be better than a bus guideway because that does what people want the most.... lets commuters stay in their cars, use the roadways but also give them an option for a faster way by offering a toll road or "hotlane".
Photo: (L-R) - JoAnn Maruoka, Panos Prevedouros, Councilwoman Ann Kobayashi
No comments:
Post a Comment