Recent mega-jam was signal to think creatively about traffic

Todd Offutt, a faithful rider of TheBus, is the state Department of Transportation commercial harbors manager for Oahu; the views expressed here are his own.

If there was any lingering question about the need for rail, the recent mega-jam should put that to rest.

The problem with current debates is our fixation on the wrong equation. Instead of subtraction — i.e., cost control — we should consider addition or multiplication, i.e., growing revenues.

When the going gets tough, we often panic. In the case of rail, we clutch money even tighter. Instead, we should acknowledge five truths to Honolulu’s transportation future:

» Current dependence on wheeled vehicles does not support current or future needs.

» Dismantling rail would carry more complications and costs.

» Transportation projects are complex. Flexibility is needed, and unpredictability is to be expected.

» Rail can improve lives dramatically with less pollution, less noise and an enjoyable commute.

» Drivers should pay for services rendered; it’s fundamental to fairness and economics.

Federal excise taxes do not cover the true cost of replenishment and repair, and other gap-closing measures need to be considered, such as tolls and fuel taxes indexed to inflation.

We generally face three courses of action:

» Control costs. Reducing the rail project (spending less to get less) fails. Half a rail is like half a road, and would not bear economies of scale. However, we should challenge all assumptions and audit all costs.

» Grow revenues. Explore untapped revenue-generators, such as using the rail network to shuttle containerized cargo and truck chassis (from ships) to points west. This "freight shuttle" could pay down debt and retire the excise tax. Moving cargo during slack (night) time would also allow truckers to bypass congestion, enhancing safety and lowering costs. Separately, we should challenge timelines to raze income-producing properties, and decisions to keep lots vacant.

» Control costs and grow revenues. So far, rail opponents have been widely reported, but we need to invite ideas from optimists, enterprisers and inventors. As in the case of the freight shuttle, the practice is sound. Intermodal facilities are used worldwide to lower shipping costs; reduce congestion; and prevent pollution.

Until rail arrives, we need to:

» Increase HOV (high-occupancy vehicle) lane requirements from two to three riders.

» Expand dedicated bus lanes, and keep Zipper lanes intact (reducing wear on aging units).

» Expand flex-time among government employees.

» Promote employer-subsidized bus passes, and establish targets for government employees to use the same.

» Develop targets for state and local government employees to telecommute at least one day a week, or adopt compressed work schedules.

» Open HOV lanes to optional "toll tag" users, and reinvest proceeds.

» With backing of local sponsors, augment roadside assistance to expedite the removal of disabled cars.

» Restart a water ferry to the downtown area.

» Make electric bikes eligible for rebates.

» Improve accountability and reporting by agencies responsible for meeting these goals.

Out of grief can come good. We should not be discouraged from the promise and potential of rail. When it does arrive, we will wonder how, or why, we ever lived without it.

CORRECTION: Todd Offutt is a state Department of Transportation Oahu commercial harbor manager. An earlier version of this story and the story that appeared in the paper said he was a former harbor manager.