COMMENTARY
City should put Mapunapuna in transit station planning
By Romy Cachola
The very latest in the city's $4 billion mass transit project involves the selection of the transit stations. In a 7-2 vote at its May 7 meeting, the City Council approved the locations of 34 transit stations along the 26-mile proposed mass transit route. Unfortunately, an important stop in Mapunapuna was not included.
The city should build a transit station in Mapunapuna, which makes sense for these reasons:
A portion of Parsons Brinckerhoff's February 2007 report stating that developed areas like Salt Lake have fewer opportunities for new development around train stations is misleading. In fact, there are ideal transit-oriented development opportunities at the former Costco site, at Stadium Mall, at K-Mart and at Salt Lake Shopping Center.
Also, there is the possibility of redeveloping the Aloha Stadium property because of proposals to relocate the facility to an area closer to West O'ahu.
As for military land makai of Salt Lake that has been recently developed for commercial use, that area could be developed into a commercial hub in the not-too-distant future. Or the military may divest or sell that land.
We cannot discount these scenarios from happening. Time and again, we have seen small landowners pool their properties and apply to build a condominium, commercial or industrial building. Areas that were formerly zoned residential now rezoned for commercial and industrial uses. Since rail is long term, all these scenarios are possible.
I disagree with the administration's argument that adding a third station in Mapunapuna would be too difficult because of the steep slope that would require a 120-foot-high platform and a curve over Moanalua Stream. If our nation's engineers had that mentality, we would have never sent a man to the moon. I firmly believe that if we put our mind to it, we can find a solution to almost any problem.
While the city is anxious to begin preliminary engineering and the draft environmental impact statement, it's still not too late to include a transit stop in Mapunapuna. In fact, the administration is to be commended for not completely ruling out a transit station at Mapunapuna at this point in time.
Given all these facts, I will be introducing a resolution to amend the primary urban center public infrastructure map to add a symbol for a third transit station in Mapunapuna.
Romy M. Cachola is the councilman for Council District VII (Salt Lake, Halawa, Mapunapuna). He wrote this commentary for The Advertiser.
