The first segment of rail was transferred from the Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation to the Honolulu Department of Transportation Services at Mission Memorial Auditorium on Friday, marking a historic milestone for Honolulu’s transit system.
Mayor Rick Blangiardi, HART Executive Director and CEO Lori Kahikina, DTS Director Roger Morton and HART board Chair Colleen Hanabusa signed the proclamation that declared the completion of the rail’s first segment, which spans approximately 11 miles between the Kualaka‘i station in East Kapolei and the Halawa Station near Aloha Stadium.
The first segment will open to the public June 30 at 2 p.m.
“This is a great moment for our city,” Blangiardi said.
Hanabusa was a Hawaii member of Congress when the U.S. Department of Transportation signed the initial $1.55 billion commitment for the rail’s construction in 2012. Now, as HART’s board chair, Hanabusa said transferring the rail from HART to the city was an “amazing event.”
“This time the stars are aligning. We are in the right place at the right time,” Hanabusa said. “Yes, we struggled, and that’s always going to happen, but here we are.”
Morton said the transfer ushers in a “new era for balanced transportation” on Oahu.
“This fulfills a 50-year promise to the people of Oahu that we would put in a rail system,” Morton said. “As the director of DTS, I pledge to be a good steward of this new system so that all of us on Oahu can be proud that we’re going to have one of the most advanced transit systems in the country.”
Kahikina said HART employees and their families rode the rail for the first time Friday morning as part of HART’s Ohana Day.
“There’s been so much negativity tied to this project. I’ve had employees admit to me that they’re embarrassed to work for HART, but not so anymore,” Kahikina said. “To see the smiles on the faces of the families and our own employees, it was very touching.”
Kahikina thanked her employees and said, “I know it’s been painful, but we made it.”
During the ceremony, Kahikina handed over the keys to the rail to Morton who, in return, gave Kahikina a HOLO card, which Morton said is the key to riding transit on Oahu.
Morton encouraged all residents of Oahu to come to the rail’s opening weekend June 30-July 4 to test out the new system. Morton said he expects 50,000 to 100,000 people to attend and that DTS has contingency plans if the stations become overcrowded. For the interim, Morton said there will be five trains running every 10 minutes, and said it currently takes about 22 minutes to travel from the Kualaka‘i station to the Halawa station near Aloha Stadium.
From 2 to 6 p.m. June 30, the public can ride the rail for free without having a HOLO card. The rest of the opening weekend, July 1-4, riders must have a valid HOLO card, which requires a minimum load of $3, to ride the rail for free. HOLO cards can be purchased at local retailers, rail station ticket vending machines at each rail station entrance or TheBus Pass Office. However, Morton recommends getting a HOLO card as soon as possible and not to wait until opening weekend.
Morton said that there will be “easily identifiable” helpers wearing a commemorative dark blue aloha shirt to assist the public at the rail stations during the first weekend.
The rail’s operating hours are 8 a.m.-7 p.m. on weekends and holidays and from 5 a.m. to 7 p.m. on weekdays. During opening weekend the rail will only operate on weekday hours on July 3.
TheBus will also begin its new routes to the rail stations beginning July 1. Between July 1 and 4, TheBus and Handi-Vans will also run for free.
Only three of the nine stations will have parking. The Halawa station at Aloha Stadium has 580 spaces, the Keone‘ae station at the University of Hawaii West Oahu has 304 spaces and the Honouliuli Station at Ho‘opili has 344 spaces for passengers who want to park before boarding trains. Parking is free, and the parking lots will close when the stations close.
Leading up to the opening weekend, Morton told the Honolulu Star-Advertiser that DTS will team up with “iconic Hawaii businesses” to distribute 10,000 HOLO cards to promote ridership of the rail. For example, Morton said the 50th State Fair will distribute free one-day travel HOLO cards that give the rider a full day of transit. He also said Zippy’s restaurants near rail stations will participate in the promotion as well. The promotion will begin June 26, and the passes will be valid from July 5 to Sept. 30.
The official transfer also included 12 trains and the 43-acre Rail Operations Center and Maintenance and Storage Facility to DTS, which will be responsible for the operation and maintenance of the transferred assets.
Kahikina said the second rail segment, to Middle Street, should be completed by 2025 and said she feels “pretty good” about the tentative 2031 completion date of the third segment of the rail’s construction, which will extend to Kakaako.
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How to ride the rail
>> The public can ride the first phase of the rail station for free and without a HOLO card from 2 to 6 p.m June 30. The first phase covers an 11-mile, nine-station route from Kualaka‘i station in East Kapolei to the Halawa station near Aloha Stadium.
>> All stations close at 7 p.m., but in order to ride the full length, passengers must board by 6 p.m. June 30.
>> From July 1 to 4, rides are free with a valid HOLO card. New HOLO cards cost $2, and there is a $3 minimum to load the card. Riders must tap the HOLO card at fare gates to enter the individual stations, but fares will not be deducted from their cards.
>> HOLO cards can be purchased at local retailers, rail station ticket vending machines at each rail station entrance or TheBus Pass office. Seniors, youth and riders with a disability may apply for a reduced-fare HOLO card at TheBus Pass office at the Kahili Transit Center. Visit www.thebus.org for HOLO card application requirements. For more information about HOLO cards and a list of retailers that sell them, visit www.holocard.net or call 808-768-4656.
>> TheBus will provide free rides to all riders July 1-4. Beginning July 1, TheBus will provide new routes to the rail stations.
>> Only three of the nine stations have parking. The Halawa station at Aloha Stadium has 580 spaces, the Keone‘ae station at the University of Hawaii West Oahu has 304 spaces and the Honouliuli Station at Ho‘opili has 344 spaces for passengers who want to park before boarding trains. Parking is free, and the parking lots will close when the stations close.
>> Weekend and holiday hours are 8 a.m.-7 p.m., and weekday hours are 5 a.m.-7 p.m. During its opening weekend, rail will only operate on weekday hours July 3.
>> After the opening weekend, fares for rail will be $3, following the same fare structure as TheBus. One tap of the HOLO card will allow riders to enter the station and board the next available train. Once the rider taps their card, they will be given a transfer, which allows them to board another train or TheBus, without being charged for 2-1/2 hours.
>> Single fares after the free tryout period will be $3 for adults, $1.50 for youth (6-17) and $1.25 for seniors (65 and over).
>> For more information about fares, visit www.honolulu.gov/rail or www.thebus.org.
Source: Honolulu Department of Transportation Services
