Honolulu’s rail system will stand test of time

History has shown us that the most worthwhile endeavors are not without challenges or controversy. Hawaii’s first metro rail system is no different. For more than 40 years, this rail project has been debated and discussed. And in those 40 years, traffic has grown to the point where Honolulu now consistently tops the list as having among the worst congestion in the nation.

With champions such as the late U.S. Sen. Daniel K. Inouye and others, this project is now successfully moving forward. We have resolved a state lawsuit that resulted in some positive changes in how we conduct and monitor our archaeological survey work. And we have prevailed on challenges in both U.S. District Court and the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals that have proven that we properly considered the alternatives and conducted our work in accordance with environmental laws.

Today, construction is well underway and we have achieved some major milestones. We have just completed our 100th column and have begun work on the guideway spans that will carry our fleet of 80 train vehicles, and will also carry our hope for a better future a better quality of life for our residents who are now forced to endure hours in traffic.

Change is never easy. And for many of our residents who are unfamiliar with the benefits of a world-class, top-quality rail transit system, these advantages may seem too far into the distance.

But we are not building this for us. We are building this for you, for future generations who will realize that the tough decisions are often the decisions that matter most, and that the difficult choices are the choices that hold the most promise.

So we continue to do our best. We clear the hurdles and work diligently and daily to bring you a transit system of the highest quality.

The benefits are crystal clear: We need a reliable transportation option, a transit option that moves people, not more cars. This rail system will take more than 40,000 cars off our congested streets and highways daily. This rail system will deliver its passengers on time, every time, because an elevated system is not subject to traffic and accidents on our overburdened roads and highways.

Today, a single accident during the morning or afternoon commute can add hours to our residents’ daily travel time. Those are precious hours that could otherwise be spent with families and friends enjoying all the things that make our island home special. Our traffic woes now deeply affect our quality of life.

It is time for a change.

The rail system offers that opportunity for meaningful change. It will provide a safe, reliable public transportation option. It will be part of a multimodal transit solution, fully integrated with the bus and with bikes and pedestrians. It will provide a green transportation solution rather than building more roads. Powered by electricity, the rail system will have the ability to operate on renewable energy.

It is also about transportation equity: For those who sought affordable housing options in West Oahu, this rail system delivers on the promise our elected leaders made to provide public transportation options for what is meant to be our "Second City."

Good decisions stand the test of time. Twenty-five years from now, when our future generations are using this transit system and perhaps even benefitting from extensions to the University of Hawaii-Manoa, Salt Lake and other areas, we will be judged. We will be judged on whether we made the right choice, and whether we delivered on our promise for a high-quality system that will improve our overall quality of life. We are working hard every day to make good on that promise.