Posted on: Wednesday, June 30, 2004
Support limited as bus plan's first phase OK'd
| • | Map: Bus rapid transit route, initial segment |
By Mike Leidemann
Advertiser Transportation Writer
City officials got a green light yesterday to move forward on the first leg of a bus rapid transit system in Waikiki.
Despite claims from opponents that the city was trying "to fool" the federal government, members of a transportation oversight committee approved a measure that will let the city seek $20 million in federal money for the project.
The money would be used to widen parts of Ala Moana Boulevard and Kalia Road, build seven bus stations and make other improvements for the new service to link downtown Honolulu and Waikiki via Kaka'ako.
The action yesterday by the O'ahu Metropolitan Planning Organization was the latest step in a long BRT saga but lifted a dark cloud that had threatened to sideline the project.
"The significance is that we can continue to move forward, little by little, without spending a disproportionate amount of time debating it any more," said city Transportation Services Director Cheryl Soon.
BRT opponents urged OMPO Policy Committee members to reject the proposal, with some saying that the city had no real hope or intention of completing the full BRT, which is projected to extend to Kapolei over the next 14 years.
"I feel like we're fooling the federal government by saying we're going to finish the BRT when we're not," said City Councilwoman Ann Kobayashi.
City officials said they remain committed to the full BRT project. However, with the two leading candidates for mayor in this year's election expressing increasing reservations about BRT, a governor's task force favoring rail transit over buses and the state saying it won't allow any of its highways to be used for dedicated bus lanes, there's considerable doubt that it can be finished.
Even so, state Transportation Director Rod Haraga, who voted in favor of yesterday's motion, said he was pleased with the result.
"Ultimately every transportation mode, including better bus service, is needed," Haraga said. "After all the studies, you've got to start some place and this is something to start with."
Opponents said the city has not demonstrated a community consensus on BRT required to seek federal money and repeated earlier concerns about taking away lanes of auto traffic for buses. Several also criticized the city's changes on Kuhio Avenue, which are part of the BRT project being done without federal money.
BRT supporters said, however, that the work is necessary to help with pressing traffic congestion issues throughout the island.
"As we see it right now, there are no other viable alternatives," said Melissa Graffigna, chairwoman of the Mililani Mauka/Launani Valley Neighborhood Board. "If something isn't done now, when? If not BRT, what?"
The Policy Committee voted 6-2, with two abstentions, to include the BRT project on a list of upcoming state and city transportation projects, making it eligible to receive federal money. The group also approved an amendment, introduced by Kobayashi, that requires all the federal money to be used for construction, rather than design, purposes.
Reach Mike Leidemann at mleidemann@honoluluadvertiser.com or 525-5460.
