If they're going to add more houses in West and Central Oahu, they should make the West Oahu campus more attractive and have a couple of good private schools out that way. I always thought that they should have more park and rides (into UH, Waikiki, downtown, JBPHH) and have them run all day long.My3Cats wrote:All comes down to funding - Federal and City. If you take a quick look at BART, they only had runs from Daly City to Concord and Richmond to Fremont when it was first built. Over the years the rail was continued to be built out and now extends past Daly City to San Francisco International Airport and Millbrae, past Concord to Pittsburg/Bay Point, and a new line out to Dublin/Pleasanton. When I had to work a month out in Livermore a few years ago there was talk of extending the Dublin/Pleasanton line out to Livermore and further east. BART works and continues to grow, despite many years of opposition. I rode it on a Sunday from Dublin/Pleasanton to San Fran and back on a Sunday. Empty cars with plenty of seats, and as fast as if I drove a car, with no fees for parking. Even the park and ride facility is free on the weekends. Everyone knows that paid parking in San Francisco costs an arm and a leg, plus parts of other appendages. The only crappy thing was I wanted to go to Chinatown and the damn cable cars had super long lines because of the gazillion tourists. Ended up walking up and down the hills. Don't know if they had buses or not, but I would have taken them instead. In addition, vehicle traffic during the weekdays in morning and afternoon rush hour was horrendous on the freeway between Oakland and Livermore. I can't imagine how bad it was in the other Bay Area communities.808Hawaii wrote:This truly was the last chance for rail in Honolulu. If not now, not ever. The Feds will never fund such a startup elevated light rail project again. We're getting a bargain compared to how much it would cost ten years from now, and all on our own. The first extension may take it to Manoa.Irse wrote: I wish we could do it the right way. If Kapolei to Ala Moana is not what they wanted, then they should have scrapped it. to me, the only way the rail makes sense is for it to go to Manoa. As it stands right now, it's not. Yes, they want it to go to UH, but no guarantees. Besides some people who work downtown, I don't know who the rail really helps especially considering that there will not be much parking at the stations. Who wants to catch a bus to catch the train then reverse the situation coming home?
$5.26B. remember how much it would have cost when Mansho voted it down? $0.8B!
Can either drive or take the bus to rail, rail, then bus. The bus system will support rail. One transit pass.
Anyone who lives out in Oahu's Westside or Central can plainly see how ugly traffic is right now. Imagine as all the proposed new homes keep coming up how much worse it will get. Rail will not be the complete answer. Nothing will. But rail will be an alternative to driving for those who don't want to drive. People who still cherish their personal chariots or have to use their cars because of need will still have their own option.
Rail shortage
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Re: Rail shortage
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Re: Rail shortage
I'm for rail, for the reasons stated by others here. that h1 commute is brutal, and is just getting worse.
Would I use the rail? Probably, parking at the Aloha Stadium is a pain in the arse. I'm less than a half-mile to the nearest projected station in town and would love to take a short walk then get dropped off at the stadium. Recently caught a Golden State Warriors game in Oakland and the Oracle Arena is adjacent to a bart station. It was a slight walk (mostly because we had to walk around the Raiders stadium to get to the arena) but it was a much cheaper and easier experience to take the Bart from the city (San Francisco) than it would have been to drive, pay those parking fees, fight traffic, gas costs, etc. Plus no problems overdoing it at the tailgate or game when you don't have to drive home.
But would I use the rail daily? Possibly, I currently work at UH (Manoa) and the rail doesn't reach there. However, UH has free shuttles to and from campus to areas like upper manoa and upper kaimuki, so it would only make sense for UH to add shuttle service to Ala Moana once that becomes the nearest rail stop. Transferring to a bus route that goes from ala moana to UH would be less convenient, but wouldn't be so bad if monthly passes don't tack on add'l costs.
As for switching from driving to mass transit, maybe there's another reason for me to do so. I'm kinda getting tired of dealing with stupid drivers. It's almost a daily situation even on my short commute where I see someone driving poorly/erratically looking down at their damn phone. The daily run-ins with the overly-aggressive drivers and also the frustratingly overly-under-agressive ones. Those google self-driving cars are taking too long to get into the mainstream and I just want to sit down, mellow out into some music, podcast, or some social media before starting my workday.
Would I use the rail? Probably, parking at the Aloha Stadium is a pain in the arse. I'm less than a half-mile to the nearest projected station in town and would love to take a short walk then get dropped off at the stadium. Recently caught a Golden State Warriors game in Oakland and the Oracle Arena is adjacent to a bart station. It was a slight walk (mostly because we had to walk around the Raiders stadium to get to the arena) but it was a much cheaper and easier experience to take the Bart from the city (San Francisco) than it would have been to drive, pay those parking fees, fight traffic, gas costs, etc. Plus no problems overdoing it at the tailgate or game when you don't have to drive home.
But would I use the rail daily? Possibly, I currently work at UH (Manoa) and the rail doesn't reach there. However, UH has free shuttles to and from campus to areas like upper manoa and upper kaimuki, so it would only make sense for UH to add shuttle service to Ala Moana once that becomes the nearest rail stop. Transferring to a bus route that goes from ala moana to UH would be less convenient, but wouldn't be so bad if monthly passes don't tack on add'l costs.
As for switching from driving to mass transit, maybe there's another reason for me to do so. I'm kinda getting tired of dealing with stupid drivers. It's almost a daily situation even on my short commute where I see someone driving poorly/erratically looking down at their damn phone. The daily run-ins with the overly-aggressive drivers and also the frustratingly overly-under-agressive ones. Those google self-driving cars are taking too long to get into the mainstream and I just want to sit down, mellow out into some music, podcast, or some social media before starting my workday.
Re: Rail shortage
That's why rail should be funded by additional taxes on gas. Rail should be funded by those that choose to drive.My3Cats wrote:Anyone who lives out in Oahu's Westside or Central can plainly see how ugly traffic is right now. Imagine as all the proposed new homes keep coming up how much worse it will get. Rail will not be the complete answer. Nothing will. But rail will be an alternative to driving for those who don't want to drive. People who still cherish their personal chariots or have to use their cars because of need will still have their own option.
People in east Oahu and windward Oahu have no idea what traffic is like in west Oahu from about 5:30 to 8:00 and again after about 3:30. It's a mess and will get worse as we continue to only build on the west side. If rail is not built, we should build more homes on the east and windward side because traffic is already too much on the west.
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Re: Rail shortage
I commute from Ewa Beach to the Pearl Harbor area but my hours are from 5:30AM to 2PM. I will probably not use rail because I don't have to drive through traffic most of the time. But it would be nice to have that option in those occasions when I have to start or finish later. I would consider leaving the car at home, or at work to be picked up the following day.
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Re: Rail shortage
Some people will have no access to rail. The problem is that the guys approving all of the new developments don't live on the west or central side. People will use rail if it is more convenient for them. Not sure the plan is more convenient.808Hawaii wrote:That's why rail should be funded by additional taxes on gas. Rail should be funded by those that choose to drive.My3Cats wrote:Anyone who lives out in Oahu's Westside or Central can plainly see how ugly traffic is right now. Imagine as all the proposed new homes keep coming up how much worse it will get. Rail will not be the complete answer. Nothing will. But rail will be an alternative to driving for those who don't want to drive. People who still cherish their personal chariots or have to use their cars because of need will still have their own option.
People in east Oahu and windward Oahu have no idea what traffic is like in west Oahu from about 5:30 to 8:00 and again after about 3:30. It's a mess and will get worse as we continue to only build on the west side. If rail is not built, we should build more homes on the east and windward side because traffic is already too much on the west.
Re: Rail shortage
I'd rather they stop building new subdivision in west Oahu and start developing more in east and windward Oahu.
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Re: Rail shortage
+ 1 MILLION808Hawaii wrote:I'd rather they stop building new subdivision in west Oahu and start developing more in east and windward Oahu.
Re: Rail shortage
Then they can kill rail for all I care.Irse wrote:+ 1 MILLION808Hawaii wrote:I'd rather they stop building new subdivision in west Oahu and start developing more in east and windward Oahu.
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Re: Rail shortage
808Hawaii wrote:That's why rail should be funded by additional taxes on gas. Rail should be funded by those that choose to drive.My3Cats wrote:Anyone who lives out in Oahu's Westside or Central can plainly see how ugly traffic is right now. Imagine as all the proposed new homes keep coming up how much worse it will get. Rail will not be the complete answer. Nothing will. But rail will be an alternative to driving for those who don't want to drive. People who still cherish their personal chariots or have to use their cars because of need will still have their own option.
People in east Oahu and windward Oahu have no idea what traffic is like in west Oahu from about 5:30 to 8:00 and again after about 3:30. It's a mess and will get worse as we continue to only build on the west side. If rail is not built, we should build more homes on the east and windward side because traffic is already too much on the west.
Actually, the afternoon commute to the west side starts to get jammed up to No-Aloha from about 3:00 pm and runs until about 7:30 pm with the jam up from around the Waimalu/Pearl City offramp or further up the hill towards Pearlridge and the steep drop. Clears up when I take the H2 off ramp up to Mililani. Ewa bound is still pretty ugly though. At around 5:00 pm when I'm heading into town east bound on my once a week sojourn, the west bound back up on the H1 is past the Airport on the viaduct, and sometimes out to the Harley-Davidson building. I don't normally take Red Hill but that west bound traffic is really, really ugly too.
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Re: Rail shortage
Hey, with the East Honolulu and Windward Oahu peoples who complain about not being served by rail, I'm good as to having the suburban sprawl head out to their direction too. Still get plenny pukas and green spaces out there that they can plunk down new homes and condos. Got more space on the ridges and in the valleys underneath the falling rocks, which can be mitigated through metal mesh and removal of the big rocks. Then maybe the agricultural lands in West and Central Oahu can be spared for diversified agriculture. UHWO can stay put and the State needs to provide funding for expansion for the school. Shipping container communities can also be placed in, and around Honolulu to serve the underserved. Then the elevated rail line that has already been built in Kapolei can be put to use like how New York City made their High Line Park. Then no need for the City to ask the State Legislature to keep the rail tax and those no-tax people can STFO. Just thinking out loud here.808Hawaii wrote:Then they can kill rail for all I care.Irse wrote:+ 1 MILLION808Hawaii wrote:I'd rather they stop building new subdivision in west Oahu and start developing more in east and windward Oahu.
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Re: Rail shortage
And while we're at it, make the new refuse landfill in Kalama Valley and a new wastewater treatment plant in Kailua. We have enough crap in west Oahu already.
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Re: Rail shortage
FYI - Kailua already has a waste water treatment plant, with a pre-treatment plant in Kaneohe that feeds the crap to the Kailua plant. I know. Plenny pilau already. Stick a new one in East Honolulu is fine to me.808Hawaii wrote:And while we're at it, make the new refuse landfill in Kalama Valley and a new wastewater treatment plant in Kailua. We have enough crap in west Oahu already.
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Re: Rail shortage
Every community should be forced to take care of their own crap.
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Re: Rail shortage
It is your fault if you give them the designs and specs to build and it is flawed (poor design).808Hawaii wrote:And who's fault is that? Ain't HART's.Irse wrote:There are other problems with the rail that has nothing to do with the lawsuits that will delay it.
Meanwhile, issues related to construction of the elevated rail line were also highlighted in the November Progress Report, which showed 21 of the 191 shafts along the first half of the 20-mile route failed a concrete stress test. Known as Crosshole Sonic Logging, the test determines the structural soundness of concrete within a shaft's rebar cage.
Elsewhere, two segments that are part of the project's elevated guideway were found to be damaged and must be replaced. The damage was apparently caused by unbalanced support from temporary bearings.
If you hire a contractor to build your house and the foundation they lay fails, is that your fault? NO! It's on the contractor. The Contractor has to remove the foundation and put down a good one on his dime, then catch up and get back on schedule. Don't try to blame HART for the failed shafts or segments, or from poor construction techniques.
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Re: Rail shortage
Wouldn't Kiewit know that the design and specs are flawed? Don't they have engineers to determine that beforehand?Scott wrote:
It is your fault if you give them the designs and specs to build and it is flawed (poor design).