Monday, January 2, 2012

One-Stop Site for Major Honolulu Rail Issues

JANUARY 2, 2012 UPDATE: This post has become a "library" of Yes2Rail posts that we think are particularly significant for visitors' appreciation of the issues and personalities associated with the Honolulu rail project. Since 7/26/11, the day we created this post as a one-stop shop for visitors, it has grown from just a few links to dozens under various headings -- e.g., Mr. Cliff Slater (and Friends). Rather than continue adding new posts to the 2011 lists, we've begun grouping new posts under "2012" beneath each of the headings as appropriate. In addition, we duplicated the entire July 26th post in a new post on January 2, 2012 to bring it into the New Year, which will be "pivotal" for Honolulu rail.   

What if there were a single post here at Yes2Rail that had links to numerous previous posts on a variety of topics? Instead of having to search through posts going back three years every time we wanted to link to what’s already been written, we could just link to this one post, an aggregation of many others.

That was the thinking that led to today’s Yes2Rail entry, so here they are – arranged by topics with earlier posts that we think help make the case for building the Honolulu rail project exactly as it’s been planned. (NOTE: To locate materials in both the Star-Bulletin and the Advertiser prior to their June 2010 "merger" that marked the end of the Tiser, go to the Star-Advertiser's website and click on Back Issues.)

Project’s Goals, Rail's Critics and more – We began 2011 by reviewing the project’s four principal goals and continued that emphasis in the new year.
2012:
Here We Go – Charging into Rail's 'Pivotal Year' (Former Governor Cayetano "considers" running for mayor)
A Not-Very-Courageous Prediction for 2012: Newspaper Columnists Will Continue to Blast Rail
Media Panels on Honolulu Rail Coverage Note Challenges Supporters Face in Making Their Case
Wednesday Columnist Can't Stand Government Spending and Can't Abide Pro-Rail Efforts in His Continuing Campaign against Honolulu Rail...  
2011 and earlier:
Rail’s Goals Remain the Same in the New Year
Rail’s All-Important Goal – Improved Reliability
Rail Goal #3 – Support for Second City’s Growth
Transportation Equity Rounds Out Rail’s 4 Goals
Institute's Transit-Accessibility Study Shows Why Rail Will Be Successful Here
High-speed rail video works for Honolulu rail: 'Mad Men' on Trains
Open Letter to Outdoor Circle Members: Some of you Oppose Rail, but Have you Weighed Impacts vs Benefits? Unless Your Life Is Impacted Daily by Congestion, You Can't Appreciate Traffic's Costs

2012 Mayoral Race & Rail
Civil Beat Challenges Mayoral Candidates To Talk Seriously about the Merits or Problems with Rail, So What Does Ben Cayetano Do? He Refuses To Talk with Civil Beat's Rail Reporter, Banishes Him
Candidate Must Tell the Public Details of His BRT Plan Today or Violate a 'New Rule' by Tomorrow, Plus: Reporters Get a 'New Rule' of Their Own
'The First 100 Days' -- a Standard Good for US Presidents, Governors and Mayors; Time's Up for the Candidate Who Vows To Kill Honolulu Rail
If Transparency Is the Goal (and It Is), It must Be Applied to Everyone & Everybody in Rail Debate; That Includes Candidate Who Vows to Kill project
• ...Some Questions for Candidate Cayetano
Mayoral Candidates Face Off in First Debate, but One Man's Nakedness Goes Unreported: Cayetano Still Refuses To Provide Details of His BRT Plan
• With Anti-Rail Columnist in Cayetano's Corner, Media's Role in Transit Issue Looms Even Larger: Will Rail Supporters Finally Demand 'No Mas'?
STOP THE PRESSES: Details of Cayetano BRT Plan Leak in Radio Show; Oahu Can Anticipate Buses Running in Highways' Shoulder Lanes
Star-Advertiser Editorial Page Finally Calls Out the 'Elephant' in this Mayor Campaign, Says Public Needs to Know Details of Cayetano Transit plan 

Public Opinion – Three scientific opinion polls have been conducted by local respected firms QMark and OmniTrak in the past three years to probe the public’s views on rail.
2012:
No 'Margin for Error' in Isle-Wide Elections; Rail Supporters Have Won Every Time Since 2008
Newspaper's Rail Poll Can't Be Taken Seriously: It Was Conducted as Cayetano's Mayoral Campaign Dominated Broadcast, On-Line, Print Journalism; The Predictable Results Are Easy To Discredit
It's Time To Blow Up the Star-Advertiser's Rail Opinion Survey because of a Flawed Question: 'Do You Think Work Should Proceed on Oahu's Rail Transit System?' Isn't the Same as Asking 'Do You Think the Rail Transit System Should be Built?' 
March Review: The Madness Included Rail Poll that Questioned only Voters, Ignored the Rest...
...Still Waiting for a Believable Opinion Survey
...Where Does Public Really Stand on Rail?
•  Another Look at Excluding Non-Voters from Polls: There's Plenty Evidence Views Differ from Voters; a Problem-Free Survey on Rail Is Long Overdue
2011 and earlier:
2011 Opinion Survey Finds 57% Support Rail Project
Every Council District Registered Majority Support
Rail’s Ability to Address Growing Traffic Problem
57-to-40 Rail Split Isn’t Exactly ‘Razor-Thin’ Edge
Rail’s Majority Grows When Economy Is the Issue
Oahu Traffic Emerges as Public Enemy Number 1
2009 Poll: Behind the Numbers – Solid Support
Poll Parsing: Big Majority Sees Economic Benefit
Graphics Give Insightful Look at Opinions on Rail
Story Criticizes Opinion Poll w/out Giving Results
2008: A Second Poll Shows Strong Support for Rail
Support for Rail Soared in 3 Best-Practices Polls, so Remember It when the Media Roll Out Theirs

Elevated vs At-Grade – It keeps coming up, the view that at-grade rail would be a better option than Honolulu’s planned elevated system. We’ve taken pains to address the comparison numerous times.
2012:
Questions for the Newest Mayor Candidate: Would His Preferred Trolley System Achieve REsults Needed To Address Our Road Congestion Issues? Are Views More Important than Safety?
At-Grade Tragedy: 3 Die in Sacramento after SUV Ignores Barrier, Drives into Light-Rail Train's Path
Phoenix At-Grade Train Hits Teen: 'It Is Unknown How or Why Pedestrian Got in the Train's Path' 
2011 and earlier:
What Every Consumer Asks When Making a Purchase: ‘Will It Do What I Need It To Do?’
Jogging & Keeping Pace with an At-Grade Train
Among At-Grade’s Negatives: Vehicle Lane Loss
Among At-Grade’s Negatives, Part 2: Accidents
When Safety Is Crucial, Think Elevated Rail
Train Meets Van in Another At-Grade Rail Collision
Phoenix Citizens Want to Know ‘What’s the Problem with All These Crashes?’
Architects Are Trying To Squeeze Through the Eye of a Needle with a Claim At-Grade Rail Is as Safe as Elevated
At-Grade’s Drawbacks Can’t Be Airbrushed Away
Human Factor Causes another At-Grade Crash; Bus Runs Light, Smashes into Houston Train; 12 Sent to Hospitals, Rail Service Halted for Hours
Car-Train Crash in Long Beach Illustrates Major Drawback to 'Cheaper' At-Grade Rail Transit
Yet To Open, Norfolk's Train Has First Car Crash
Houston Truck-Train Wreck Prompts Question #2: 'Governor, Why Do You Favor Crash-Prone Rail?'

Generation Next – Oahu’s young adults speak up for rail.
Next Generation Tells Council ‘We Will Ride It’
More Pro-Rail Testimony by the Next Generation
Another Poll Post: The Next Generation Speaks
Poster Contest Shows Gen-Next Appreciates Rail
Hey, Generation Next: HonoluluTraffic.com Says You’re Clueless, Belittles Your Pro-Rail Opinions

Oahu's Traffic Problem – Bad and getting worse.
H-1 Segment Is #2 among 'Highways from Hell'
Another Reminder that Honolulu's Traffic Is Bad, But for Many, It's Worse than Institute Study Says
Latest Traffic Report Puts Honolulu in 'Top' Spot Ahead of Los Angeles, San Francisco, New York; We Waste an Average of 58 Hours Annually, but Train Riders Will Avoid ALL Highway Congestion!
Will Rail Improve Congestion or Not? It's Time We Get Real Clear about Project's Positive Benefits 

Mr. Cliff Slater (and Friends) – Honolulu's Anti-Railer in Chief.
2012:
Here We Go – Charging into Rail's 'Pivotal Year' (Former Governor Cayetano "considers" running for mayor)
News Flash: Rail Opponent Is Human, Capable of Seeing What He Wants To See; Plus LTE Forum
Does Mayoral Candidate Understand Rail's Goals? So Far, He's Only Channeling Cliff Slater, Who Deliberately Misleads Public on Rail's Purpose -- To Help Commuters Avoid Traffic, NOT END IT!  
Anti-Railers' Main Tactic: Repetition Ad Nauseum, Plus: Law Students Get Lesson in Meaninglessness
Anti-Rail Leader Works on His Confusion Game, Compares Reduced Town Traffic to All-Oahu Trips... 
Land Use Commission Testimony Offers Insight on Why Traffic Congestion Simply Won't Go Away; It Also Amounts To Rebuke of Anti-Railers' Rhetoric  
Candidate May Face Tough Questions Thursday 
...Rail's Opposition Shows Signs of Coming Unhinged
Anti-Rail Leader Accuses City of Lying about Rail's Traffic Impact as He Misleads Public on Benefits, Plus: First Column Is Opponents' Worst Nightmare 
...Avoiding Traffic Is Only 'Small Benefit' To Slater; LTE FORUM: Letter Buys Into Slater's Mis-Information  
Here's What We Say about Last Night's Debate:  
Latest Anti-Rail Misinformation Piece Gets a Smack-Down Response from Someone Who Knows More about Honolulu Rail Transit than All of Its Critics Combined!
2011 and earlier: 
2008: Hot Seat Revisited: Dissecting Slater
2010: Cliff Slater’s ‘Ace Card’ Turns Out To Be a Joker
A Closer Look at Cliff Slater’s ‘Whole Argument’
True Confessions: Rail Opponent Concedes Transit Project Will Reduce Future Traffic Congestion
Cliff Slater and His Magical Words about Traffic: Rail Critic continues his Obfuscation Campaign
Sticking to His Story, No Matter How Misleading
A Trip to Yesteryear with ‘Always-By-Car’ Slater
Does Honolulu Want ‘Low-Height’ Underpasses?
Critic Rolls Out Statistics
Houston's Highway Traffic Is Nation's 4th Worst 
Rail Critic's Latest Reads Like More of the Same 
Lawsuit Backers Switch Tactics, Blast Honolulu Rail in Media Broadside Aimed at Influencing Public Opinion, but Absolutely Nothing Is New
Question for Rail Critics: 'Where's the Beef?' Without Thoughtful Options to Traffic, Spare Us
Fact Check Begins on Gang of 4's Anti-Rail Piece
Civil Beat Fact Check: Slater Wrong on Stations; Gang of 4's Ridership Claim Is Ripe for a 'False'
Going Beyond Fact Checks To Ask the Obvious
Anti-Rail Pitch Men Work the Airwaves, Show Strong Appreciation of How To Mislead Public
To Coin a Phrase, Garbage In, Garbate Out: Slater's Highly-Touted Poll Result Was Flawed, so Is Roth's Allegation the City Deceived Public 
Final Civil Beat Fact Check is Half True/Half False; More Fiction Found in Rail Opponents' Radio Show
Critic Says Rail Will Fail if Traffic Won't Be Cut, but His Beloved Tampa Highway Hasn't Done That
10 Questions: Rail Critics' TV Gig Could Be Their 'Waterloo' if Host, Public Ask the Right Questions
Houston Truck-Train Wreck Prompts Question #2: 'Governor, Why Do You Favor Crash-Prone Rail?'
Question #3 Is about Traffic Levels: 'Mr. Slater, HOT Lanes Don't Reduce Congestion, Do They?' 
If Not Rail, Ex-Governor Owes Us an Explanation; Question #4 Wants To Know Why He Prefers BRT 
Question #5: 'Mr. Slater, You Know the Truth, so Why Did You Ply Your Team with Falsehoods?' 
Inquiring Minds Want Answer to Question #6: "Where's the Evidence Rail Rail Is 'On the Ropes?'"
Questions Are For Discovering, so Question #7 on Holiday Delves into Decades-Long Rail Dissing
Pro-Rail INSIGHTS Guest Deserves Question #8: 'Why Do You Support Building Elevated Transit?'
Would Rotary Venue Bring Out Rail Critic's Best? Not a Chance -- which Leads Us to Question #9
ยช Question #10 Is for Anti-Rail Guests on TV Tonight: 'If Not Elevated Transit, WHAT DO YOU WANT?!' 
With a State-Wide Audience and a Chance To Give Their Alternative to Rail, Two Opponents Blinked 
Does Repeating a Lie Over and Over Make It True? What Else Can Anti-Railer's Main Claim Be Called? 
Something Else Rail Critic Wants You To Believe: More Highways Reduce Traffic, but It Isn't True
Anti-Rail Charter Amendment Fails 1st Reading; Unmistakable Sign of City Council's Rail Support
Prediction: Anti-Railers' Illogical Messaging on Future Congestion Issue Will Be Their Undoing
Telling It Like It Is: Cliff Slater's Campaign To Mislead Oahu Residents on Rail is Disgraceful; His 'Big Lie' Doesn't Become 'Truth' with Repetition 
Cliff Slater Won't Stop Using Same 'Non-Truth' in His Anti-Rail Campaign, but Is It Something Else?
More from Misleader-in-Chief Slater: As Usual, His Latest Post Is Example of More Flash than Bang
More on 'Honor System,' plus Flip-Flopping Rail Opponent Who Fought BRT Now Thinks It's Swell
Anti-Rail, Anti-Bus Slater Now Touting Bus Rides; His Letter to FTA Is Classic Case of Obfuscation

Dr. Panos Prevedouros – The University's highway expert.
2012:
 • Anti-Rail Highway Advocate Makes Extraordinary On-Air Admission: Rail Transit System's Goal Is Improved Mobility, Not Reduced Congestion. He Sould Tell that to Cliff Slater and Ben Cayetano
2011 and earlier:
Checking References: Prevedouros’s UH Bio Lists Research Background, but Where's Transit? (Yes2Rail’s 3rd post 7/2/08)
Anti-Railers Help Make Case for Honolulu Rail
More Prevedouros Analysis: What Can He Mean, Saying Rail Would Not Be of Any Use During Freeway Closures, Tsunamis and Floods?
Doctor’s Rail Dissing Is Demonstrably Dubious; Transit Scores Favorable Marks in USA Survey
Highway Expert Offers Another Anti-Rail Critique
Helping Search Engines Find Dr. Prevedouros
Rail Critic Keeps Popping Up All over the Place
Who's Deceiving Whom? Rail Critic's Illogical Conclusions Undermine His Familiar Refrain

LTE Forum – Comments on Letters to the Editor.
2012:
LTE Forum: Writer Plays the 'What If?' Card
LTE Forum: Someone Should Tell Bette Midler the Facts about Rail: It Won't Be Built on the Beach!
News Flash: Rail Opponent Is Human, Capable of Seeing What He Wants To See; Plus LTE Forum
LTE Forum: Bank Responds to 'Payoff' Allegation 
LTE Forum Refutes Gang of Four's Latest
No 'Margin for Error' in Isle-Wide Elections; Rail Supporters Have Won Every Time since 2008
Columnists Still Follow Mothers' Advice: 'If You Can't Say Something Nice, Don't Say Anything' -- Plus: LTE Forum Examines Our Fixable Needs 
2011 and earlier: 
Rail Court Case Will Make News Intermittently, so We Launch a New Feature on Letters to the Editor
LTE Forum Covers Both Sides of Rail Issue, but Focusing on Opposition Seems More Productive
Enlarging TheBus Fleet and Making Rides Free Would Do Nothing To 'Solve' Congestion Problem
Rail Project Eyes Cost-Cutting Alternatives that Would Reduce Station Size, Improve Frequency
LTE Forum: Will System 'Spoil' or 'Save' Island?
Letter Reveals a Basic Misunderstanding of Rail; It Will Be Travel Option for EVERYBODY, Not 'a Few'

Please return to this space. We’ll be adding to Yes2Rail's aggregation of topical posts.

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