After years of debate and controversy, heavy construction of the 20-mile Honolulu rail project finally gets under way next month on the first segment of the line from East Kapolei to Pearl Highlands.

That work will give Oahu residents their first view of the guideway support columns as Kiewit Infrastructure West Co. begins sinking foundations and pouring concrete for the columns along Kualakai Parkway (or North-South Road) and on the Farrington Highway median through Waipahu.

Construction of the 30-foot-wide guideway on top of those support columns will have to wait until the federal government approves plans for a precast facility where the guideway superstructure components will be fabricated.

The most imposing portion of the first section of rail line will be the section that spans the H-1 Freeway near Leeward Community College. The guideway superstructure for that portion of the project will be built 60 feet above the freeway.

Construction of the first rail stations is scheduled to begin later this year.

The entire rail line from East Kapolei to Ala Moana Center will cost an estimated $5.27 billion and is scheduled for completion in 2019.