Thursday, January 20, 2011

Editorial: Rail Project Needs Public Buy-In

“All of the steps along the way (of building the rail project) must be taken with a full measure of public notification; transparency at each stage of the project is of immeasurable importance to maintain public trust in the expenditure of some $5.5 billion on Hawaii's largest-ever taxpayer-funded project….
“But the residents already living (near the future stations) need to buy into this, too. If stops are envisioned well, these live-work-play complexes will become less of a jarring intrusion and more of an integrated addition to established neighborhoods. The community embraces what it's helped to design, making the improvements vibrant and lasting.” ~ Honolulu Star-Advertiser editorial, 1/20/11

What’s not to like about this editorial? It summarizes the Honolulu rail project's guiding principle from the start, notwithstanding complaints from some about being shut out of the process. They presumably feel that way because (1) they’re rock-ribbed rail opponents or (2) their proposed route/technology/you-name-it wasn’t selected.

With the Federal Transit Administration overseeing this project each step of the way, there’s no way the City has or would short-circuit the process. I’s have been dotted and T’s crossed. Count on it.

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