The newly designated “airport route” for
Honolulu’s future rail system is in blue.
The impact of yesterday’s City Council vote to redirect the rail system’s route probably hasn’t sunk in yet for the thousands of employees at Honolulu International Airport, U.S. Naval Shipyard and Hickam Air Force Base. But give them some time and it surely will.The newly designated “airport route” segment will include stations at Aloha Stadium (intersection of Kamehameha Highway and Ford Island Boulevard), the Naval Base (near Makalapa Gate), the airport and Lagoon Drive.
More than 7,000 people work at or near the airport, and nearly 5,000 more are employed by the shipyard. TheBus makes about 2,500 trips to and from the airport each day, and we have to believe most of those passengers are employed at those facilities.
The rail option will be a much speedier commute for many of them, as well as a more relaxed, convenient and cost-effective experience.
Build this rail system and, as the Terence Mann character in “Field of Dreams” might say, “Airport and Pearl Harbor employees most definitely will ride this train.”
• Draft Environmental Impact Statement -- The comment period is open through February 6th. Base newspaper "Hickam Kikuni" carried a story last week highlighting the opportunity for military personnel to have their say on the proposed transit system. Our December 4th post has links to the Statement's contents and details on how to comment.
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