Rail contractor cuts 30 jobs in wake of ruling by high court

Kiewit Infrastructure West Co. announced Friday it has cut 30 jobs so far in the wake of the Hawaii Supreme Court decision on Aug. 24 that stopped work on the Hono­lulu rail project.

Kiewit had a workforce of about 250 before the city shut down construction on the project.

Kiewit "will continue to work with the city and HART (Hono­lulu Authority for Rapid Transportation) to assess construction plans and related activities," a statement from the company said. "Kiewit looks forward to moving ahead with the project and restarting construction as soon as allowed."

The $5.26 billion rail project is the largest public works project in Hawaii history, and crews were at work this summer on the first segments of the rail line as well as a maintenance and storage facility near Leeward Community College.

That work was interrupted by a lawsuit filed by the Native Hawaiian Legal Corp., which sued the state and the city over the project on behalf of Paulette Kaanohi­oka­lani Kalei­kini. The lawsuit alleged the city improperly began construction before completing a required archaeological inventory of sites on the route the rail line would follow.

The state Supreme Court ruled Aug. 24 that the State Historic Preservation Division violated its own rules by allowing the project to proceed before the survey was complete.

The city has been surveying the rail route from East Kapolei to Ala Moana Center in sections but has not completed the portion of the route in urban Hono­lulu where burials are most likely to be found.

That archaeological survey work continues next week in the urban Hono­lulu area.

Lane closures will be during nonpeak traffic hours in the Kakaako area from Sunday through Sept. 15:

» Halekauwila Street between Cooke and Koula streets

» Queen Street between Kama­kee and Wai­manu streets

» Pensacola Street between Kona and Wai­manu streets