Federal money at stake in bus plan
| • | Drive Time: BRT system in Brazilian city can be model for Honolulu |
By Mike Leidemann
Advertiser Transportation Writer
Federal officials want a clear signal of support from the state and city before they'll commit more money to Honolulu's proposed Bus Rapid Transit project, City Council members were told yesterday.
Burned twice in the past by federally financed city transit projects that didn't pan out, the Federal Transit Administration is worried about the depth of local support for the project, said Cheryl Soon, the city's director of transportation services.
"They're not interested in a stop-and-go process," Soon told the council's transportation committee. "They want to be partners with us, but not if we're going to continue all the fussing around."
Twice before the city has advanced at least this far with ambitious federally financed mass transit plans only to get cold feet. In 1982, the city canceled its Honolulu Area Rapid Transit rail plan after a change of administration at City Hall. In 1992, a light rail plan with more than $600 million in federal subsidies was scuttled when the City Council, on a 5-4 vote, declined to commit money to the city's share of the project.
The city has spent more than $14 million on planning the new mass transit system, which could be running by 2005. The federal government has appropriated $11 million for the project, but has not released the money to local officials or approved a crucial environmental impact statement.
"Please don't go back all over this again," Soon told new members of the Council's Transportation Committee. "It doesn't make sense to start all over again."
During a briefing on BRT progress yesterday, several council members questioned Soon on specific aspects of the project but no one flatly opposed it.
Transportation Chairman Nestor Garcia said he was worried about Gov. Linda Lingle's reported opposition to the project, which uses state roads at some points.
Soon said Lingle discussed the BRT with Mayor Jeremy Harris in a meeting last month and the two agreed to work together on addressing the city's transportation needs without agreeing on specifics.
"We've got to find out where the state stands before we know how to proceed," Garcia said. "Ultimately, the City Council is the one that makes the decision, and we've got to make sure that our investment in the BRT is worthwhile."
The first phase of the BRT, which runs from Iwilei to Waikiki uses mostly county-owned roads and could be operational in two years using money that already has been approved, Soon said.
The regional BRT from Kapolei to Middle Street would use the state-owned H-1 Freeway, its Zipper lane, other state roads and several yet-to-be-built special bus ramps beginning about 2010.
Reach Mike Leidemann at mleidemann@honoluluadvertiser.com or 525-5460.
