Q. What will the draft environmental impact statement tell us?

A. This document meets various environmental and legal requirements. It includes for each alternative the estimated capital, operating and maintenance costs; assessments of impacts on highway and transit service levels and transit ridership; evaluations of cost-effectiveness; reviews of funding options; assessments of state, local and private sector roles and responsibilities; and assessments of social, economic and environmental impacts.

Q. Why is a no-build option done?

A. A no-build or baseline alternative serves two purposes. Federal and state environmental laws require the environmental, social and economic impacts — both benefits and negative consequences— of a proposed project be compared with what would happen if the project were not done. In addition, the Federal Transit Administration requires the study of an alternative that includes only existing and committed projects and relatively low-cost improvements as the base of comparing the effectiveness and impact of proposed federal investments.

Q. Why is a new $10 million study needed, since there have already been so many studies?

A. The Federal Transit Administration requires a new study since it has been more than 15 years since a transit study that included rail was done here. Also, the previous study only examined rail from the Waiawa/Pearl City area to Manoa, while the upcoming study will examine the possibility of rail to Kapolei. Many parts of the past engineering efforts, such as determining the size of elevated structures and placement of the columns, are still applicable, so they will be used.

Q. How long does this process take?

A. An alternatives analysis and preparation of a draft environmental impact statement typically take two to three years. With the background of previous studies in the corridor, the city intends to complete both by the end of 2006.

Source: City Department of Transportation Services