David Shapiro: Latest Oahu rail imbroglio takes a turn in public’s favor

Well played, Mayor Rick Blangiardi and Colleen Hanabusa.

They were inspired in quieting public outrage about Hanabusa’s contract of up to $924,000 over six years to lobby for the Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation by having her forgo the contract and instead become a volunteer on HART’s board of directors.

The deal became untenable for both as the public decried the expense when rail costs had soared to $12.5 billion with a $3 billion deficit. Also disturbing was the appearance that HART wrote specifications to favor Hanabusa.

Blangiardi wasn’t involved in originating the contract, initiated by the HART board last year, but it was awarded on his watch and his office had to have known about it given the new air of cooperation between semi-independent HART and the administration.

For Hanabusa, her reputation was taking a beating, and the high deliverables expected of her after the furor would have been daunting.

One group led by a local lawyer was exploring a complaint to the U.S. Attorney seeking a bid-rigging investigation.

While it remains troubling this ever occurred, the outcome is generally a win for the public, which now gets whatever value from Hanabusa the board thought was worth $924,000 at a more affordable price: free.

This is Hanabusa’s second turn on HART’s board after serving briefly as chairwoman between her loss in a U.S. Senate race and her reelection to the U.S. House.

She did a respectable job the last time around, asking the right questions, increasing HART’s transparency, calling out then-CEO Daniel Grabauskas’ lame excuses for rail’s failings and ultimately leading his ouster.

With Blangiardi, it’s refreshing to see an elected leader work a problem forthrightly and produce a creative solution quickly and with minimal drama.

Now it’s on them to meet the mayor’s stated goal of maximizing the public’s return without further over-bloating this investment.

Doing so means avoiding the failed past mindset that they must rush to find funds to cover the deficit and devise a full plan to finish the project before meeting this summer with the Federal Transit Administration.

The state and federal governments would be insane to give them more money under current circumstances where they have no idea how much it would really cost to finish to Ala Moana Center, the train wheels don’t fit the tracks and there’s no clear path around Dillingham Boulevard utilities.

Given that a functional rail line won’t reach Middle Street until 2024 at the earliest or Ala Moana until 2031, the one thing we have is time.

Time to listen to all voices and honestly consider all options. Time to set a limit on the cost in dollars, lost opportunity to address other needs and the debt we’ll leave our children. Time to incorporate all we’ve learned since rail was originally designed about everything from construction difficulties and route options to climate change and ridership models.

Time to finally prioritize getting it right.

Reach David Shapiro at volcanicash@gmail.com.