Beretania Street Construction Project Will Be More Than a Year Long

Motorists beware. Construction on Honolulu's Beretania Street is set to begin today. This will be deep, disruptive construction that will last for at least 13 months. What's happening? The street will be dug up, re-layered and coated with new asphalt and cement bus pads. Should be nice when done. The part of most concern is the construction phase that will take place at various hours depending on the location. The project will start at the intersection of Beretania and University and work its way westward to the project's end near the Honolulu Police Station and Alapai Street.

They're adding a bike lane to the street and I am wondering if this will be as disruptive as the one planned for South King Street soon. Will motorists lose on-street parking? We'll see.

The project will cost taxpayers $9.44 million.

Here is the press release from the City and County of Honolulu:

Mayor Kirk Caldwell announced that the city’s Beretania Street resurfacing project will begin Monday and advised drivers to take alternate streets.

This Beretania project is “full-depth reconstruction,” meaning crews need to dig deeper than most resurfacing projects to ensure the repairs last.  The project will take longer to complete, but then it will last longer.

The road construction is scheduled to begin this Monday, September 8 and be completed before November 2015.

The project includes pavement milling, removal of underlying concrete pavement, reconstruction of curbs, gutters and driveways, construction of new curb ramps, and the installation of concrete bus pads.

The Department of Design and Construction has contracted Road and Highway Builders, LLC to perform reconstruction and resurfacing of the asphalt roadway of South Beretania Street, from University Avenue to Alapa‘i Street.

Work will begin on the University end of Beretania and work towards town. Some lane closures will be in effect 24/7, including the concrete bus pads that need to harden.

The contractor has a noise variance permit from the city and the State Department of Health to work in certain areas between the hours of 7 a.m. and midnight in order to complete the project faster.  Most work will happen Monday to Friday, but some work at major intersections may occur over the weekend.

For any issues or concerns during Beretania Street construction, please call the project hotline, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week at 945-1000.

On-street parking will be prohibited at times during the project.  Please observe and obey all traffic control devices and special duty officers.

Motorists are advised to take alternate routes, such as Kapiolani Boulevard, Ala Moana Boulevard, Young Street, and other surface streets and allow for extra time.

When resurfacing is completed, a new bike lane will be added onto Beretania Street.

The city is making Honolulu a bicycle-friendly city through the installation of bike infrastructure and the establishment of a bikeshare program, which is scheduled to be operational late next year.  Bike lanes or sharrows were added on both sides of Waialae Avenue when it was resurfaced this year and construction of Oahu’s first off-grade bike path on King Street begins next week. The newly reopened Ala Wai Walking Path also features a bike path.

To view the full schedule of upcoming and completed city road paving projects, please visit honolulu.gov and click “Road Repaving Update”

Photo: Beretania Street traffic near the Piikoi Street intersection.

Update on Rail - Federal Trial & State Supreme Court Decision

The Hawaii State Supreme Court ruled last week that the City & County of Honolulu was wrong in starting rail construction before a complete survey of Hawaiian burials and location of "Iwi" was done violating state law. The plaintiff in this case has asked the city to stop rail construction today. The City has vowed to keep on constructing. If that happens the plaintiff lawyer will file an injunction that will force the city to halt construction. More to come on this.

In the meantime arguments on the Federal lawsuit concluded on August 21. Both parties in this lawsuit await a decision from the judge which could come at anytime, but expected to occur in the next 30 to 60 days. A ruling in favor of the plaintiffs in this case could effectively shut down the rail project.

Professors Randy Roth and Panos Prevedouros discuss the federal case in the video from HawaiiReporter posted below.

Honolulu’s Pricey Rail Project Put on Trial

Honolulu’s Pricey Rail Project Put on Trial

HawaiiReporter's Malia Zimmerman reports on the August 21 rail case hearing in Federal Court:

Will Honolulu’s pricey and controversial rail project ever be built or will it be derailed in court? That could depend on what Ninth Circuit Court Judge Wallace Tashima decides in the next few weeks.

Tashima heard oral arguments on Tuesday, August 21, in one of Hawaii’s most closely watched legal cases -Honolulutraffic.com et al v. Federal Transit Administration et al - after all 7 of Hawaii’s federal judges were recused from the case. His decision may ultimately determine the future of Honolulu’s controversial $5.2 billion rail project.

Eight plaintiffs – who range from environmentalists, businessmen and a transportation expert to a former governor, law professor, doctor and retired judge – maintain the city’s actions were “arbitrary” and “capricious”.

The plaintiffs, who include former Gov. Benjamin Cayetano, Law professor Randall Roth, Retired Judge Walter Heen, retired businessman and transportation expert Cliff Slater, Dr. Michael Uechi, Hawaii’s Thousand Friends, Outdoor Circle and Sen. Sam Slom's Small Business Hawaii Entrepreneurial Education Foundation, sought a motion for summary judgment in their challenge against the City & County of Honolulu and the Federal Transit Administration.

Read the entire article at HawaiiReporter.com - http://www.hawaiireporter.com/?p=53678

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Video Reports from Hawaii News Now and KITV 4

Hawaii News Now - KGMB and KHNL

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Publisher's Comment

As a longtime opponent to fixed rail and especially to the current project, here's hope that the outcome of this trail be ruled in the favor of the opponents. A favorable ruling against rail in this case and the election of former Governor Ben Cayetano as mayor of Honolulu will be major factors in helping put this expensive rail fiasco into the grave soon. Stop Rail Stop.

Civil Beat Poll Says 55% of Voters Oppose Rail

Online news publication Honolulu Civil Beat recently issued a new poll that shows 55% of Honolulu's population are now opposed to the $6 billion rail project.

The publication says:

The tide of public opinion is running strongly against Honolulu's proposed rail project, according to a new Civil Beat poll. 

Fifty-five percent of likely voters say they oppose the project, with just 34 percent in favor, the poll found. The rest either don't have an opinion or aren't sure what they think. 

The automated telephone survey of 1,172 likely voters on Oahu was conducted on Feb. 26 and 27, more than a month after former Gov.Ben Cayetano jumped into the Honolulu mayor's race, turning the contest into a referendum on rail. He has vowed to kill the $5.2 billion project.

Go to the article link. There are more details and an ongoing stream of comments and Facebook likes there.

It is time for Honolulu to stop this very expensive rail project. If the current administration is hell bent of ramming this rail on us, then it is time we change the leadership there and vote for a mayor that is solidly against the train.

The Latest Update on Rail

HonoluluTraffic.com's Cliff Slate is a longtime opponent of the rail project.

The Latest Update on Rail
From Honolulu Traffic.com

I am still opposed to the rail project. Honolulu Traffic.com released the following statement regarding rail (see below). In a related development, former Hawaii Governor Ben Cayetano has announced that he will look into the possibility of running for Honolulu Mayor on an anti-rail platform. Cayetano has also been a longtime opponent of fixed, heavy rail. As a result, Dr. Panos Prevedouros who also opposes the heavy rail project announced that he will not run for mayor this election season. He may support Cayetano's bid.

Here is the statement from HonoluluTraffic.com:

Revised 12/31/2011.

The revision are marked in red

Where the Rail Project stands today

Here is the sequence of events that has to occur before the City can begin building rail:

1. The City/HART has been given permission by the FTA to enter the Final Design phase. However, FTA put so many qualifications on their “approval” of the financial plan that it is not really an approval at all. See our discussion on the main page of December 29.

2. Congress must approve the $1.5 billion in federal funding for the project.

3. The FTA and the City must agree on a Full Funding Grant Agreement (FFGA)

that will for the first time spell out what federal funds will be available to the

City.

       4. At some time before the FFGA the FTA may approve a Letter of No Prejudice

(LONP) allowing the City to start rail construction using its own funds.

5. During this period the city and FTA must also prevail in the federal lawsuit,

Honolulutraffic.com et al. v. FTA and the City.

The precarious state of the financial plan for rail was made clear to the City when they were given permission to enter the Preliminary Engineering process a year ago. The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) wrote,

“Further, the City should be aware that FTA's standards for the financial rating are higher for entry into final design than for entry into PE. The higher standard for final design includes an assessment of the robustness of the financial plan against increases in costs, shortfalls in revenue streams, and competing demands on funding sources. Some elements of the current financial plan may not fare well in the stress tests that FTA will apply to evaluate robustness. These elements include the projected revenue stream from the General Excise Tax, the diversion of FTA Section 5307 funds from ongoing capital needs of the bus system, and the increasing share of the City's annual budget that is required to fund the transit system. Were this plan submitted today in support of a request to advance the project into final design, its weaknesses would likely cause FTA to deny the request. Therefore, continued development and strengthening of the financial plan will be a crucial part of the PE effort.”

Further the FTA wrote in its FY 2011 Financial Assessment,

“Given that GET surcharge revenues are highly leveraged in the financial plan, any shortfall in revenue would have material consequences on the City's ability to finance the local share of project cost, unless other sources of capital funds are identified.” 

And here is what the FTA wrote in their FY2011 Financial Assessment:

“The capital cost estimates/planning assumptions sub-factor is rated Low. The major factors contributing to this rating are: (i) material downside risks to the GET surcharge revenue forecast, and consequently the inability to cover all debt service cost; (ii) no net debt capacity; and (iii) lack of information to substantiate the City's capacity to absorb a material amount (up to $535 million) of cost risk. In addition to these concerns, bus capital funding - clearly needed as evidenced by the relatively old age of the bus fleet - depends on a much higher level of Federal funding than has previously been the case.”

These concerns were made clear to the City prior to the bombshell revealing that the City and the EPA had entered into a consent decree for a $3.5 billion revamp of the City sewer collection system to be completed by 2020 and a further $1.55 billion for sewage treatment plants to be upgraded by 2034. Including finance charges this will total $7.2 billion.

For the City to make the financial plan robust is going to be extremely difficult, if not impossible, since the City is legally only allowed to use the GE tax surcharge, private funds, state and federal funds for construction; it may not use the General Fund.

In addition, the FTA made it clear that for rail construction they do not like the City using the $244 million in federal funds originally scheduled for bus purchases.

The City has nowhere else that it can legally turn to make up the shortfalls except federal New Starts funds presently forecast at $1.55 billion. That amount is so far out of line with what other cities are being awarded that only through Senator Inouye stretching his influence to the limit is Honolulu being considered for such a large sum.

The strange thing about the approval of the City/HART financial plan is that virtually all the same issues are raised in the approval letter. See the FTA letter at: www.honolulutraffic.com/FTA_letter_122911_OCR.pdf

Our initial legal action was a complaint filed in federal court on May 11, 2011 by plaintiffs, Honolulutraffic.com, Governor Ben Cayetano, Judge Walter Heen, Professor Randal Roth, Senator Sam Slom's SBH Educational Foundation, Hawaii's Thousand Friends, Dr. Michael Uechi MD, and Cliff Slater, against the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) and the City and County of Honolulu (City).

Since then the City and the FTA have responded separately denying everything and, in addition, have jointly filed Motions to dismiss some of the plaintiffs, and to dismiss some of our allegations concerning historic properties. Our attorneys believe these are nuisance motions intended to delay matters and to try run up our legal bills so that we would be unable to continue with the lawsuit. 

We have replied to their motions and the first phase of our lawsuit, Honolulutraffic.com et al. vs. FTA and the City and County of Honolulu, will be heard in Federal Courtroom AHA KAULIKE (place of equity) this Wednesday at 10:00 AM by Judge A. Wallace Tashima, a Senior Ninth Circuit Judge of California. The order of business is first to hear the Defendants' Motion for Partial Judgment on the Pleadings, followed by a Status/Scheduling Conference. 

The hearing and the subsequent judge’s ruling resulted in the city/FTA Motion being denied on both counts. The judge has further ordered the city/FTA to produce the Administrative Record in its entirety by February 6, 2012. The scheduling conference resulted in an estimate that the final hearings and rulings should take place in mid- Summer.

At the moment we await the Administrative Record. 

Full details of the environmental process are available at

www.honolulutraffic.com/processdocs.htm Full details of the lawsuit are at www.honolulutraffic.com/LegalProcessDocs.htm

Link to the original document (PDF)

The following was released by HonoluluTraffic.com on January 1, 2012:

January 1, 2012.

Aloha Everyone,

I’m sure you have heard that the city has announced that they have received permission to enter “Final Design”, and the city is alluding to a more optimistic outlook for federal funding. The Star Advertiser headline was,

 “Rail project cleared for federal funding”

However, that headline was plain wrong. You had to read further on in the Star Advertiser to find out what the federal government was really saying.

“[FTA Administrator} Rogers noted the city's current financial plan proposes several ways the city might raise additional money if construction costs escalate unexpectedly or if the anticipated local or federal funding does not materialize.

“For example, the city suggested in its September financial plan that it might seek state approval to extend the half-percent excise tax to help cover any shortfall, and noted that extending the surcharge by two years, through Dec. 31, 2024, would generate an extra $740 million. The city also suggested that, if necessary, it might engage in "value capture" strategies to raise additional money if there is a shortfall.

Those might include issuing tax increment financing bonds, which would allow the city to borrow against expected future increases in property tax collections.”

When you read the FTA’s actual letter, the wording is even stronger:

“FTA notes that the financial plan HART submitted is sufficient to advance the project into final design. However, it must be further strengthened before FTA will consider awarding an FFGA. Specifically, the financial plan states that additional revenues may be obtained from an extension of the General Excise Tax or implementation of value capture mechanisms. However, these revenue sources require actions by the State of Hawaii and/or the City that have not been taken and which are beyond HART's ability to control. Prior to the Project's consideration for an FFGA, HART should demonstrate the availability of additional revenue sources that could be tapped should unexpected events such as cost increases or funding shortfalls occur.

“Additionally, HART made assumptions in three areas that require further justification or amendment: (1) the containment of bus and HandiVanoperating expenses; (2) the increasing share of the City's annual budget required to fund the transit system; and (3) the diversion of Section 5307 funds from preventive maintenance to the Project. Prior to the Project's consideration for an FFGA, HART should either provide further documentation justifying the reasonableness of these assumptions or consider revising these assumptions to more closely follow historical patterns.”

Carefully read the “value capture” strategy. And the last sentence from the Star Advertiser explains it all: “Those might include issuing tax increment financing bonds, which would allow the city to borrow against expected future increases in property tax collections.” In plain English, the city can borrow on the property tax hikes that they know are coming but have not yet even told you about! Do you think they are taking you for granted?

You need to email, tweet and/or post on your Facebook page your objections to more taxes for rail. Note that Verizon recently proposed a $2 user fee for people paying their bills online. Within 24 hours, they dropped the idea because of the thousands of emails and tweets they received that were adamantly opposed to it.

Here are some of the email addresses and tweet information you need to make your voice heard. Send emails, or tweet, all your friends and any email lists you have to voice your objections to any more taxation for the rail monstrosity.  And, especially email your council members with the following addresses. Make sure you include your address so that they know you are a constituent of theirs. Ask your friends to do the same.

ianderson@honolulu.gov

akobayashi@honolulu.gov

rcachola@honolulu.gov

ngarcia@honolulu.gov

tberg@honolulu.gov

emartin@honolulu.gov
Stanley Chang <ccldistrict4@honolulu.gov>

bharimoto@honolulu.gov

tgabbard@honolulu.gov

Rail proponents have started lobbying State Legislature members whose votes they need to increase General Excise Taxation and any other new taxes. Make sure they know where you stand.

Find your representative at: http://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/members/legislators.aspx?chamber=H

Find your senator at: http://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/members/legislators.aspx?chamber=S

All the best to everyone for the New Year!

Aloha,

Bobbie and Cliff Slater

Comment: The rail project must be stopped.

Pictures of the Week - QE2 and Vistafjord

Queen Elizabeth 2 in Honolulu: I have taken several pictures over the years of Cunard Line's Queen Elizabeth 2. Every chance I had to catch her in Honolulu Harbor, I took the opportunity to photograph her. My first encounter with the Queen was in February 1989 when I shot a series (mostly unpublished) of the luxury liner docked at Pier 10 and being turned around in the harbor later that night for her trip out.

The QE2 like her other Cunard Line sisters embark on an annual around the world cruise with Honolulu Hawaii as a major stop.

The photo above was taken sometime in the mid 1990s. Until this past week it has lived in obscurity in a box filled up with other prints that I had processed back then. While cleaning my closet last weekend, I found this picture and the one below and decided to scan and publish it. Reaction to the QE2 photo above has been largely positive and appreciative. Thank you Flickr users.

Someone on Flickr helped me identify the ship docked at Pier 9 (photo below; taken on the same day). The smaller ship was also a Cunard liner at the time called the Vistafjord. The ship sailed for many years with Cunard until she was sold in 1999 to another cruise line. Today she sails as the Saga Ruby.

The Queen Elizabeth 2 last stopped in Honolulu in March 2008. She was taken out of service in late 2008 and sold to a firm in Dubai. The ship is tied up in Dubai, her fate uncertain, though original planes were to convert QE2 to a floating hotel.



The two photos were shot using my Minolta XD5 35mm SLR camera. The prints were scanned and digitally fixed to bring out the colors.

More Photos: Cruise Ships in Hawaii (Flickr)

MS Zaandam in Honolulu

Holland America Cruise Line's MS Zaandam paid Honolulu a port call early yesterday morning. She is one of the frequent cruise ships that sail in and out of the islands during the fall and winter seasons. She was last spotted by this photographer in Honolulu on January 30, 2011.

MS Zaandam is 777 ft. long, weighs more than 61,300 tons, has 10 decks and can carry up to 1,432 passengers. She has a crew contingent of 615. Top cruising speed is 23 knots or 26 mph.

She leaves Honolulu at 2300 hours tonight. Her next stop is Nawiliwili, Kauai.

Previous photos of MS Zaandam in Hawaii:




Honolulu, January 30, 2011.




Spotted in Hilo, October 2010.

Video: Should Rail Be Built or Not

Malia Zimmerman of HawaiiReporter.com interviews Professors Randy Roth and Panos Prevedouros, both of the University of Hawaii on the latest update to Honolulu's heavy rail project and the status of the impending lawsuit against the city. The premise: "Should rail be built?"

My short answer: NO!

Rail costs way too much money, will be disruptive, ugly, not reduce traffic congestion and is a scheme to line the pockets of the politicians, unions and developers with taxpayer dollars. The cost that is thrown around for this project is about $5.3 billion but in reality will cost a whole lot more to build and to maintain.

Hawaii's taxpayers cannot afford to fund this expensive, ugly train.

Watch the video. Visit the linked sites below.

HawaiiReporter's YouTube Channel
HonoluluTraffic.com

Three 717s Added to Hawaiian Airlines Fleet

It was announced today that Hawaiian Airlines is expanding their inter-island Boeing 717-200 fleet with the addition of 3 "new" planes later this year. The 3 planes are being leased from Boeing Capital Corporation. The acquisition of additional aircraft will increase Hawaiian Airlines' inter-island fleet of Boeing 717s to 18. The airline also purchased the 15 Boeing 717s they already operate.

Hawaiian Airlines will be expanding their inter-island flight schedule to about 20 flights per day between Hawaii's major island airports of Lihue, Honolulu, Kahului, Kona and Hilo. The airline will also be hiring 40 to 50 more personnel to support the fleet expansion.

Hawaiian Airlines is the oldest inter-island carrier in Hawaii, with 82 years in the market. They have been flying the Boeing 717-200 series since 2001 after DC-9 operations were phased out. The Boeing 717-200 is a derivative of the old McDonnell Douglas DC-9, an aircraft type that has been part of Hawaiian's fleet since 1966.

Boeing produced a total of 156 717 aircraft between 1999 and 2006. The model has been discontinued but is still supported by the manufacturer. Hawaiian Airlines is one of two U.S. carriers still flying the Boeing 717. The other is AirTran, who this year merged with Southwest Airlines.





Images: Hawaiian Airlines Boeing 717 top photo - in flight by Daniel T Jones
Ground photos by Melvin Ah Ching.

Welcome to Hilo International Airport

Hawaiian Airlines Boeing 717 at Hilo International Airport

Welcome to Hilo International Airport

This is the first in a series of posts that will come from photo groups, sets and streams that mainly come from my Flickr.com photos and YouTube videos.

This post focuses on Hilo International Airport. It is one of the bigger but most underutilized airports in the State of Hawaii. Hilo International Airport (ITO / PHTO) serves the community and county seat of Hilo Hawaii which includes most of the eastern and southern part of the island. The Big Island has a population of about 185,000 people. I would say about half the population at least lives on the eastern side.

Hilo International Airport is one of two major airports on the Big Island. The other is Kona International. Hilo International airport has 2 runways, with 8/26 being the longest at 9.800 feet. That runway is used for nearly all flight operations and can accommodate aircraft as large as the Boeing 747 jumbo jet. The second, crosswind runway is 3/21 at 5,600 feet long. That is used mainly for general aviation, though in a pinch it can handle some of the smaller jets that come into Hilo.

Hilo International Airport has a main passenger terminal building complete with jetways that can accommodate up to 8 aircraft at its main gates. There is room on the tarmac to park a few more planes using old fashioned stairways.

The main passenger terminal area has two security check areas, though only one is usually used. Inside there are ticketing counters, baggage handling facilities, a restaurant, bar, snack and souvenir shops plus a lounge for Hawaiian Airlines Premier Club passengers. The main waiting area is beautifully done with nice, living room type chairs and sofas, not what you'd get at most airports. It makes waiting for your flight rather pleasant.

One of the main criticisms from the time the passenger terminal opened is that from most areas of the facility, people cannot see the aircraft. There is no view of incoming or outgoing aircraft from the first floor lounge. It is only when passengers are allowed to the second floor gate area is where aircraft can be viewed.


The comfy living room type furniture is popular feature at Hilo's airport.


The second floor leads to and from the 8 gates at the airport. It is only from this level that passenger can actually see arriving and departing aircraft.

Airlines currently serving Hilo International Airport include

Hawaiian Airlines - inter-island flights
Mesa Airlines dba Go! Mokulele - inter-island flights
United Airlines / Continental - direct jet service to LAX and SFO.

In addition to passenger service, Hilo International Airport is also used for helicopter air tour services (popular for viewing the volcano eruptions), the military, freight operations, charters and general aviation. A new freight terminal is under construction near the U.S. Post Office building not too far away from the passenger terminal. Carriers offering freight service to and from Hilo include Fed Ex (they bring in their McDonnell Douglas MD-11 aircraft) and Aloha Air Cargo (using Boeing 737-200s). Other smaller carriers such as Trans Air also service Hilo.


Interisland Airways Shorts 360 charter airplane parked at Hilo.

HISTORY

Hilo International Airport began in 1927 and was known as General Lyman Field for many years. The airport was first serviced by a commercial air carrier in 1929. Inter-island Airways flew their Sikorsky amphibious airplanes into Hilo from Honolulu and Maui. That airline eventually became Hawaiian Airlines.

Through the years the airport was expanded and reached its zenith in the late 1960s and 1970s when Hilo served as the "second gateway" to the State of Hawaii with direct mainland flights. The first mainland to Hilo flights started in 1967 with the arrival of Pan American and United Airlines. Shortly after that Braniff, Northwest Orient Airlines, Western Airlines, and Continental Airlines served Hilo.

The service was successful for a few years until airline deregulation set in the late 1970s. After that mainland and overseas carriers saw more profitability by sending direct flights to Hawaii's other airports in Kona, Maui and Kauai. The last airline to offer direct Hilo to Mainland flights until United's re-emergence to the market in June 2011 was American Trans Air (ATA). Their service stopped after ATA went bankrupt in 2008.

In addition to mainland flights, Hilo has always been the eastern most destination for most inter-island air carriers. Among the airlines that have come and gone from the Hilo marketplace are the following:

Island Air: still in business, service withdrawn
Pacific Wings: Still in business, service withdrawn

Mokulele Airlines: Merged with Mesa Go! Airlines.
Aloha Airlines: Late 1940s to 2008 (bankruptcy)
Mid Pacific Airlines: went out of business in Hawaii - 1988.
Mahalo Airlines: went bankrupt in 1997.
Royal Hawaiian Air Service: went out of business (1980s).
Discovery Airways: Intended to fly BAC-146 jets to Hilo; liquidated; issue regarding ownership (1990).

More history regarding Hilo International Airport can be found at this link:

HAWAII AVIATION: General Lyman Field / Hilo International Airport

WHAT I LIKE ABOUT HILO INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT

Because the airport is underutilized by passenger services, it usually is a pleasant experience to check in and use the airport facilities. There rarely are large crowds of passengers trying to get to many destinations all at once. Most flights come in from and go back to Honolulu International Airport. One or two flights a day go to Maui with United's mainland flights happening once a day during the night time hours. Hardly very busy.

Hawaiian Airlines offers about 12 flights a day to and from Hilo utilizing Boeing 717 jet aircraft. Mesa's Go! Mokulele has about 4 flights a day with smaller Bombardier CRJ-200 jets.

Pick up and drop off at Hilo International is practically hassle free. Hardly any traffic, usually plenty of parking in the main metered lot. There is a car rental stand just across the main terminal. A U.S. Post office is just down the road. The airport is located about 2 miles away from the nearest hotel and shopping districts.

The weather in Hilo varies. Mostly it rains and is overcast. However there are clear weather days especially in the morning when flying into Hilo is very pleasant as one gets to see some nice views as aircraft take-off and land at the airport. Check the following views out and landing video:


Window seat view, final approach into Hilo, Runway 8L.


Landing video into Hilo International Airport, November 2009.


Aerial view of Hilo International Airport's main terminal.

ADDITIONAL LINKS

Hilo Airport Photo Gallery
Air Nav: PHTO
Yelp! Hilo International Airport

The Rail Lawsuit

Dr. Panos Prevedouros and Sam Slom discuss the rail lawsuit with Malia Zimmerman on her TV show "News Behind the News". A lawsuit was filed against the Honolulu Rail Project earlier this month on the basis of several environmental and cultural issues.

More on the lawsuit at the following links:

• Honolulu Traffic.com
• "The Complaint"
• Officials Aim to Shelve Transit Project
• Article on Smart Business Hawaii

My Favorite Cars at the 2011 Auto Show

The annual Motor Trend First Hawaiian Auto Show was held at the Hawaii State Convention Center this past weekend (March 18 to 20). Hundreds of brand new cars from various local dealerships as well as numerous classic and club cars were on display for the thousands of oogling eyes that came to view the vehicles. I don't know what the attendance estimates are, but it had to be in the thousands over the 3 day weekend. People love cars and they'll pay big money for one.

Believe me, most of the cars I saw there were out of my price range. However it is always great to see the new models because in a few years time, many will be on the used car market at significantly lower prices than what they are asking for today.

That all said, pictures of some of my favorite vehicles as well as all of the published photos I shot at the show are included in this post. Enjoy!

Top Photo: The unattainable Mercedes Benz SLS with the gull wing doors was probably the most beautiful car there. The price for it is way up there in the stratosphere, and largely off limits to most hard working, note paying mortals.



The State and the show sponsors are trying to push these expensive electric vehicles on the public. The Chevy Volt is one such vehicle that retails for about $45,000 and takes 10 hours to charge on standard household current. Electrics don't work for condo dwellers like me who have garages with rows of parking spaces for conventional powered cars and no electric outlets. I don't think condo owners would want to foot the bill for an expensive retrofit of condos to convert parking spaces to electric outlet charging stations.


2011 Lexus IS 250 - nice 4 door sedan that I would not mind owning.


2012 Ford C-Max - I just liked how this photo turned out.


The Ford Fusion seems to be a popular, practical sedan that has been around now for at least the last 5 years. Nice looking car from Ford.



The big block Ford Mustang Boss 302 V8 is back for 2011.


The 2011 Nissan Leaf is the latest electric car that is getting a lot of press in Hawaii. My comments about the Chevy Volt also apply to the Leaf.


Some people like funky styled vehicles. The 2011 Nissan Juke certainly fits that bill. Kind of funcky, somewhat affordable and maybe even appealing.



If I had some modest bucks to spend on a brand new vehicle, I'd probably get this practical 2011 Subaru Forester. Like last year's near identical model, I am impressed with the Forester's styling, size and interior roominess.

Here is a slide show of many of the 2011 - 2012 vehicles on display:



Many of the usual, local show cars from various car clubs were also on display in the classic car sections of the display. I loved the 1965 Ford Mustang fastback and the 1930's era Packard.



Additonal Links

• 2010 Auto Show
• 2009 Auto Show
• 2008 Auto Show
• 2007 Auto Show

Queen Victoria in Honolulu

This has been a good weekend for cruise ship spotters, the cruise ship industry and cruise ship tourism in Honnolulu. Over the last 3 days 4 cruise ships made port calls into Honolulu.

On Friday it was the Sapphire Princess and Cunard Line's Queen Elizabeth, both coming into the harbor 30 minutes apart. On Saturday, Honolulu's weekly cruise ship arrive, NCL's Pride of America made her usual port call.

Today Cunard's Queen Victoria, sister ship to the new Queen Elizabeth made her first stop of the year in Honolulu today. Her current cruise has taken her from Los Angeles to Mexico to Hawaii and back to Mexico and L.A. again.


Queen Victoria is a regular visitor to Hawaii. She comes in at least once a year. This year she is scheduled to call into Honolulu again on February 23.

Queen Victoria is a Vista Class liner, sharing many common design elements with other modern cruise ships from Holland America Line and P and O Cruises. The Queen Victoria is 964.5 feet long and stands 205 feet high from keel to funnel. She weighs 90,000 gross tons and 2,014 passenger and 900 crew. Queen Victoria was launched and put into service in 2007. She is one of three cruise ships operated by Cunard Line.


Cunard Line Queen Victoria
Cunard Line Queen Victoria Webcam



Queen Victoria shortly before entering Honolulu Harbor this morning.



Queen Victoria slowly making its way to Pier 11.

Cunard Line's MS Queen Elizabeth Stops in Honolulu on Her Maiden Around the World Voyage

Cunard Line's newest cruise ship bearing the name "Elizabeth" sailed into Honolulu Harbor yesterday morning with barely a notice from the general public or the media. This was the new Queen Elizabeth's first visit to the islands on her maiden voyage around the world.

The 965 ft. long liner berthed at Pier 10 for 12 hours yesterday.

Queen Elizabeth weighs more than 90,000 tons and has the capacity to carry up to 2,547 passengers. She has a contingent of 996 crew members.

Queen Elizabeth was launched in January 2010 and put into service October 2010. She is on her first around the world voyage. Yesterday she came into Honolulu Harbor just slightly after 6:45 am and set sail for Apia, Western Samoa at 6:00 pm last night.

The new Queen shares the same design as her sister ship, Queen Victoria, which is set to arrive in Honolulu, tomorrow (February 6).

The new Queen Elizabeth succeeded the Queen Elizabeth II which sailed into Honolulu for the last time in March of 2008. That liner had a long service history since becoming operational in 1969. She was retired in late 2008 and is now sitting in a shipyard in the country of Dubai facing an uncertain future.



The new Queen Elizabeth sails into Honolulu Harbor under the very early morning sunlight.



The Queen Elizabeth II in Honolulu during her last stopover in March 2008.

Additional Links

Cunard Line Queen Elizabeth site
Cunard Line Queen Elizabeth Webcam

The Sapphire Princess

Princess Cruises Sapphire Princess stopped in to Honolulu Harbor yesterday during the first of its 7 port calls to Hawaii this year. The Sapphire Princess is a regular visitor to Honolulu, sailing into the islands during the winter months. During the summer this ship cruises in Alaska and the Pacific Northwest coast.

The Sapphire Princess was built in Japan in 2004. She is 951 feet long, is 18 decks high and can carry up to 2,670 passengers and 1,000 crew. She was berthed at Honolulu Harbor's Pier 2. She next returns on March 4.


The Sapphire Princess tied up at Honolulu Harbor's Pier 2 while Cunard Line's new Queen Elizabeth enters the harbor channel.

• Cruise Ships in Hawaii

Honolulu Port Call for MS Zaandam

Holland America Line MS Zaandam made a port call to Honolulu Harbor this morning. I was down at Kaka'ako Waterfront Park waiting for her arrival at 6:30 this morning. She was scheduled to arrive at 7 am. She came in a little later than that, all the better since the day was just starting and the lighting conditions were improving.

The MS Zaandam is 777 ft. long, weighs 61,396 tons and is 10 stories high. She has a carrying capacity of more than 1400 passengers. The ship was launched in the year 2000 and is a regular visitor to the islands along with her sister ship, MS Rotterdam.

MS Zaandam sailed in from Nawiliwili Harbor on Kauai and is scheduled to leave at 11:00 tonight for Lahaina, Maui. She was tied up at Pier 10.


Just outside Honolulu Harbor near Pier 1.


Tied up at Hilo Harbor, October 14, 2010. All photos by Mel.

• Flickr Photos: Cruise Ships in Hawaii

United Continental Airlines to Start Hilo - Mainland Service

PRESS RELEASE

NONSTOP FLIGHTS FROM LOS ANGELES AND SAN FRANCISCO BEGIN JUNE 2011

Continental Airlines announced new daily nonstop service to Hilo, Hawai'i, from Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) and once-weekly service to Hilo from San Francisco International Airport (SFO) beginning June 9, 2011.

The new flights complement Continental's and United's extensive service to Hawai'i. United, which has served the islands since 1947, and Continental collectively provide more mainland service to Hawai'i than any other carrier from their hubs at Los Angeles, San Francisco, Denver, Houston, Chicago and Newark/New York.

"We are excited to provide customers the only direct flights to Hilo from the mainland," said Jim Compton, executive vice president and chief revenue officer of United Continental Holdings, Inc. "These flights will offer customers convenient, nonstop service to the Big Island without having to connect in Honolulu."

"The addition of the two routes is welcome news for Hawai'i Island and the entire state, and a result of the momentum established by our tourism industry to lead Hawai'i's tourism recovery. Based on initial Hawai'i Tourism Authority projections, the flights could bring nearly 40,000 more visitors to the island and generate $50.6 million in direct visitor spending and $5.52 million in tax revenue," said Mike McCartney, Hawai'i Tourism Authority president and CEO.

Continental will utilize a 160-seat Boeing 737-800 aircraft on the new routes, with 16 seats in first class and 144 seats in economy.

COMMENT

I think this is a great idea. Hilo has been without direct U.S. mainland airline service since ATA Airlines went out of business in April 2008. That airline had a daily Boeing 737-800 flight to and from Oakland California.

Both United Airlines and Continental Airlines used to fly directly to Hilo in the late 1960s, 70s and 80s.

Having another airline fly into Hilo will further utilize the underutilized passenger terminal, which is currently used by only Hawaiian Airlines and Go Mokulele.

Korean Firm to Assemble Electric Vehicles in Hawaii

Governor Linda Lingle and CT &T CEO Young Gi Lee signed a "memorandum of understanding" (MOU) in which the State of Hawaii will support the Korean firm's plans to build an electric vehicle assembly plant somewhere on Oahu. CT & T is a South Korean firm that builds several models of electric vehicles designed for personal and fleet use.

The company's proposed plant will employ up to 400 people and build about 10,000 2-seater electric vehicles per year. The location for the manufacturing facility was not disclosed at today's press conference, but will be built somewhere on Oahu.

The vehicles are all electric and are about the size of large golf carts. They are designed for light industrial, government and commercial use as well as for personal transportation. They come in two distinct model classes, the more car-like and upscale eZone and the utilitarian cZone. Each vehicle can be configured for different types of uses. The models on display at the State Capitol included a police cruiser (for use in parking patrol), a personal transport, lunch wagon, utility car, plate lunch truck and pick-up truck.

Cost range from about $8000 to $20,000 per vehicle depending on model and options. The cZone models are able to reach speeds of up to 25 mph. The eZone can reach speeds of up to 60 mph.

It remains to be seen whether or not these small electric cars will be successful in the Hawaii market. A handful of firms have sold or are selling electric cars. Most recently Nissan announced that the Nissan Leaf will be available for sale in Hawaii starting next year.


Governor Lingle talks about the CT & T assembly plant proposal.


CT & T's eZone coupe. The vehicle will be assembled in Hawaii.


Video by Tom Berg.


Architect's rendering of proposed assembly plant.

Pictures From the Auto Show

The annual Motor Trend First Hawaiian International Auto Show was held in Honolulu this past weekend (March 26 - 28) at the Hawaii State Convention Center. Dozens of new cars from various dealers and manufacturers were on display for the public to see, touch, sit in, compare prices and photograph delighted the thousands of people who attended the event. In addition to the current models, several classic and custom car clubs had their wares on display including vintage Ford Mustangs, Chevy Camaros, Volkswagens and cars from many years ago.

Emphasis this year was on promoting the "green agenda" with a number of alternative fuel cars. The usual hybrids (gas and electric models) such as the Honda Insight and Toyota Prius are readily available. Experimental fare included all electric cars such as a Prius on display by Hawaiian Electric, an all electric Mini Cooper and a hydrogen powered fuel cell SUV from The Gas Company. The Tesla Roadster which comes in a $100,000 a pop is an electric car that was also on display.

I am not crazy about the so called "green cars" as all current models cost significantly more than conventional and more plentiful gasoline powered vehicles.

Speaking of expensive, the exotic car corner that usually features Ferraris and Lamborgins were there with the highlight being a $1.4 million Masseratti M12 roadster. It's not a very practical car but it certainly would turn eyes if the owner used it as a daily driver. I wonder how large his insurance premiums are.

Lastly several brands of cars were not on display this year. They included Hummer, Saturn, and Pontiac, three brands that met their demise by the end of 2009 after General Motors declared bankruptcy and took a huge government handout financed by you and I, the taxpayers. A similar fate also befell Chrysler Corporation, who by 2009 did not shed many divisions since Plymouth had fallen a few years before. They however were acquired by Italy's Fiat corporation and may someday soon refocus to smaller, tinny vehicles (well known to European consumers who buy Fiats). Also noticeably absent were Volvo, Cadillac and for some reason BMW, though I may have simply missed their display.

Overall, a good time was had by all for anyone who showed up at the Auto Show.

• 2010 First Hawaiian Auto Show Photographs
• 2010 First Hawaiian Auto Show Classic and Custom Car Photos

This car cost $1.4 million.



This Apple Macintosh Mini computer was mounted in the rear of the tiny Smart Car on display from Security and Sound Systems (below).





The Ford Taurus has been redesigned for 2010.



Of the several smaller SUVs I saw, this one was the best for me. It is the roomy 2010 Subaru Forester. Pricing is reasonable if I wanted to commit to buying one. At the low end this vehicle sells for $20,000 and the high end is more than $26,000. This one was at around $22,000. Below is the roomy interior shot of the Forester.





Electric Mini Cooper.