Would-be rail riders will likely need to wait some months longer before a first portion of Oahu’s elevated transit system, between Kapolei and Halawa, begins operation.

Eight of 21 cracked rail “hammerheads” — the T-shaped supports for rail stations along the route — are large enough that they cannot be filled and must be fixed another way. The Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation aims to proceed with repairs, then do safety testing in early 2023. That’s expected to delay transfer of the transit system to the city for paid passenger service past the first quarter, which had been targeted. Sigh.