Suggested route would increase ridership by 7,000 daily passengers.
Visitors to this blog from beyond the reef can’t be blamed for wondering what’s next in the quest to build Honolulu’s commuter rail system.
The latest wrinkle surfaced less than 24 hours after the polls closed on Tuesday, when voters gave thumbs up to the project. Now comes a long-standing rail opponent who says he’ll change his vote if the route is switched to the airport alternative from the Salt Lake Boulevard routing.
Both the Advertiser and the Star-Bulletin give prominent treatment to this scenario today (including this supportive editorial). We’ll leave it there for now and invite you to comment on this proposal by clicking the link, below.
7 comments:
google "commuter rail" and see what you get.
Apparently, neither you not Advertiser's Hao know.
I know you have to approve comments, but why do you insist in calling the city's plan a "commuter rail?"
Commuter rail is a huge intercity train that has a couple of stops in the suburbs during peak hours.
Wow. The very first time "commuter rail" is used in this blog and we get called on it. Truth be told, we were simply looking for different words to describe a rail system that's designed principally to move commuters to work and home again.
Here's what an APTA site says: "Commuter rail refers to passenger trains operated on main line railroad track to carry riders to and from work in city centers." OK, so Honolulu's steel wheel system isn't your typical "railroad track," but it will be a train that carries passengers, most of whom will be "commuters."
We're not wed to "commuter rail" and will happily drop it if it offends. Anybody else have thoughts on this?
You should stick with saying "rail transit", Doug. I do wince every time I see the phrase "commuter rail" in any publication regarding Honolulu's project (Sean Hao's articles being the most obvious).
The frequency throughout the day is the reason. Even though most ridership will be during the rush hours, that is the case for any transit system. I would consider the suburban stations to be between Pearl Highlands and Salt Lake, but those are in the middle of the line.
We have Honolulu and Kapolei anchoring both ends, with transit-dependent neighborhoods and major destinations in between. Ridership will occur through the day.
Getting back to the post, I'm glad Councilmember Djou has contributed positively (the ballot question), and now will work with the pro-project block.
As for the route, I believe we should go to Pearl Harbor and the Airport first. I do see the benefits and disadvantages of either route. But I think frequent circulators (in residential areas) that service the fixed guideway (in employment and recreation areas) will create a much more effective transit system than vice versa.
Doug,
"operating on main line track" refers to intercity railroad tracks. These systems make one or two (incidental) stops in the suburbs, to pick up some commuters.
Check out Boston that has commuter rail, subway and bus systems (no light rail, though).
http://www.mbta.com/
By describing the city's plan "commuter rail" you are drawing the wrong picture. You are doing exactly what the Stop-Rail people and Ann Kobayashi resorted to, calling a busway a "fixed guideway" system!
Definitions are there for clarity of communication.
You've convinced me! I promise that the 11/7 post is the last time I'll use "commuter rail" to describe Honolulu's project. I'll leave it as is in that post so anyone reading these comments will know what the fuss was about.
Thanks for setting me on the straight-as-a-rail path.
I am glad you have been convinced. BTW, Table 2-2 (page 2-7) of the city's DEIS explains that "commuter rail" has been rejected during the screening process.
If Sean Hao can act as professionally as you and drop the term, people will be getting the correct image.
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