b'A new train station provides direct access to the terminals and airport parking. 26 HNL PASSENGER TRANSPORTtotal population (plus a heavy annual volume of tourists). The newpresent potential problems and delays that HART is working hard train service makes traveling to the area much easier.to anticipate.On the ocean side, aboveground power lines cant all be Long Path to Success moved underground due to space. The design team determined According to HART, the seeds of this project were first plantedthat moving the guideway to the mountain side of the street two decades ago. In 2005, the Hawaii State Legislature authorizedaddresses this problem and avoids the need to move other a General Excise Tax to provide funding for local mass transit.existing underground utilities. The total savings: a cool $150 However, the ceremonial project groundbreaking at the Kualakaimillion, plus reclaimed project time. (East Kapolei) Station didnt happen until 2011, and Segment 1 wasnt completed until 2023.More Smiles, Less StressAlong the way, there were several delays, including a StateHuynh calls the train extension a mega project that brings a Supreme Court ruling about archaeological studies in 2012.great deal of benefit to the community and city. Its not easy to Native Hawaiians bury their ancestors, and we have utmostimplement such a huge project so far away from the mainland, respect for their remains, Kahikina explains. When we encounterhe says. Collaboration and technical integration are so critical to iwi [Hawaiian for the bones of native ancestors], we have tomanage different moving parts. go through a historical preservation process, contact the linealNow that trains run to/from the HNL station every 10 to 15 descendants and ask if they want to intern in place or put themminutes depending on the time of day, Morton is excited that back very respectfully once the construction is completed. Itsfuture generations will grow up with fewer memories of being a cultural issue we have run into over the years and we arestuck in traffic. So far, feedback is very positive and ridership addressing that along the route to downtown Honolulu as well.continues to increase. The project also includes the Mauka Shift, a plan to moveWhether the riders are local or tourists, when they ride the a section of the rail guideway from the center of Dillinghamtrain, they are smiling, Morton says. Number one, they have a Boulevard to the inland side of the street to avoid subterraneangreat view from the train because its elevated and you see things utility lines. Under Dillingham Boulevard is what Kahikina jokinglyyou dont see from the highway. calls a spaghetti noodle nest of utility infrastructure that has been in place for decades. Not surprisingly, the snarled web ofKahikina notes that tourists from Japan and Europe who are electricity, water, sewer and fiber optics lines are not mapped well,already accustomed to multimodal transportation systems find which makes inadvertently cutting into them far too easy. Skyline efficient and familiar. She also reports that train ridership has jumped from an average of about 4,000 people per day to When that happens, trying to keep on schedule can be very,more than 10,000 since Segment 2 opened recently. very challenging, Kahikina remarks. Its not going to be a cure-all, but at least it will give people a The underground utility lines and electric transmission linesdifferent option, she remarks. above ground on both sides of Dillingham Boulevard continue to March | April 2026AirportImprovement.com'