CITY HONOLULU SET TO OPEN RAIL PROJECT AFTER YEARS OF CONTROVERSY OVER SPENDING AND DELAYS.

FIRST TRAINS ROLL OUT STARTING AT KAPOLEI ENDING AT ALOHA STADIUM YEARS AFTER THE START DATE.

PERHAPS BIGGEST IS THIS.

WILL RESIDENT RIDE IT?

LIVE BROADCAST OF LIVESTREAM OF KAKOU: HAWAII’S TOWN HALL START NOW.

>>Yunji: ALOHA AND WELCOME TO KAKOU: HAWAII’S TOWN HALL LIVE FROM THE HARRY AND JEANETTE WEINBERG MULTI‑MEDIA STUDIO.

I’M YUNJI DE NIES.

TOMORROW MARKS A DAY THAT HAS BEEN BILLIONS OF DOLLARS AND MORE THAN A DECADE IN THE MAKING: THE FIRST SEGMENT OF THE HONOLULU RAIL PROJECT,   WHICH THE CITY AND COUNTY OF HONOLULU HAVE NAMED “SKYLINE” WILL OPEN TO THE PUBLIC.

BACK IN 2012, THE CITY SIGNED AN AGREEMENT WITH THE FEDERAL TRANSIT ADMINISTRATION, PROMISING A 20‑MILE SYSTEM FROM EAST KAPOLEI TO ALA MOANA CENTER AT A COST OF $5.1 BILLION DOLLARS, FULLY OPENED BY 2020.

THE PROJECT IS NOW FUNDED TO BE BUILT A MILE SHORTER TO HALEKAUWILA AND SOUTH, COST ROUGHLY TWICE AS MUCH, WITH AN ESTIMATED PRICE TAG OF AT LEAST $10 BILLION DOLLARS, AND NOT FULLY OPEN UNTIL 2031.

WHEN RIDERS BOARD TOMORROW, THE DRIVERLESS TRAINS WILL TAKE THEM ACROSS NINE STATIONS FROM EAST KAPOLEI TO ALOHA STADIUM IN HALAWA.

THE NEXT SEGMENT IS SLATED TO OPEN IN 2025 AND RUN TO MIDDLE STREET AND WILL INCLUDE HONOLULU AIRPORT.

THE FINAL SEGMENT, SET TO OPEN IN 2031, WILL RUN TO THE EDGE OF KAKAAKO.

HART OFFICIALS SAY THEY HOPE TO FIND THE FUNDS TO COMPLETE THE LAST TWO STATIONS TO ALA MOANA, AND HAVE DISCUSSED EVENTUALLY GOING AS FAR AS UH MANOA.

KAKOU MEANS ALL OF US, AS IN – WE ARE ALL IN THIS TOGETHER.

AND WHETHER YOU PLAN TO RIDE THE RAIL OR NOT, IF YOU’VE PAID GENERAL EXCISE TAX ON OAHU IN THE LAST DECADE, YOU’VE HELPED FUND THIS PROJECT.

WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU IN OUR DISCUSSION TONIGHT.

YOU CAN EMAIL OR CALL IN YOUR QUESTIONS.

WE’RE ALSO STREAMING LIVE AT PBSHAWAII.ORG AND ON THE PBS HAWAII FACEBOOK AND YOUTUBE PAGES.

IN OUR TOWN HALL TONIGHT, WE HAVE A MEMBER OF THE HART BOARD, AN EXECUTIVE WITH THE CITY’S DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION OR DTS ‑ WHICH IS TASKED WITH OPERATING THE TRAINS, AND A MEMBER OF THE HONOLULU CITY COUNCIL.

WE ALSO HAVE COMMUNITY LEADERS FROM NEIGHBORHOODS ALONG THE RAIL ROUTE, AND A JOURNALIST WHO HAS BEEN REPORTING ON THIS PROJECT FOR YEARS.

WE INVITED HART CEO LORI KAHIKINA, MAYOR RICK BLANGIARDI, AND DTS DIRECTOR ROGER MORTON TO JOIN OUR TOWN HALL, BUT THEY ALL TURNED US DOWN, CITING A SCHEDULING CONFLICT.

THEY ARE ATTENDING CEREMONIAL EVENTS TONIGHT, AHEAD OF TOMORROW’S OPENING.

NOW LET’S BEGIN.

I START WITH YOU.

REPORTER AT CIVIL BEAT.

REPORTING ON THIS PROJECT BASICALLY SINCE THE GROUNDBREAKING ABOUT TEN YEARS AGO.

WHEN PEOPLE LOOK AT SKYLINE, ONE OF THINGS THAT STRIKES US REALLY IS THE COST.

5 TO 10 BILLION CERTAINLY IS QUITE AN INCREASE.

WHERE DO YOU SEE, WHY DID THOSE COSTS GO UP SO HIGH?

>> OH, MAN.

THERE'S A LAUNDRY LIST OF ISSUES THAT HAVE FRANKLY KIND OF EVOLVED IN THE PAST DECADE OR SO.

BACK IN THE DAN GRABOWSKY ERA, WHEN CONSTRUCTION STARTED STARTED TO SEE ISSUES WITH JUST GENERAL COSTS OF CONSTRUCTION.

MARKET AND HONOLULU WAS RIGHT UP THERE.

SO HART WOULD CERTAINLY POINT TO THE FACT THAT THEY GOT CAUGHT RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF JUST ONE OF THE STEEPEST MARKETS IN A LONG TIME.

AND OF THE CITIES IN THE UNITED STATES, HONOLULU WAS RIGHT UP THERE.

ALSO POINT TO THE LAWSUIT THAT HELPED TODELAY THAT CONSTRUCTION.

MORE COMPLICATED THAT.

PLENTY AUDITS POINTED TO THE MISMANAGEMENT AND DIFFICULTIES WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT TRYING TO BUILD A MODERN RAIL METRO SYSTEM FROM SCRATCH ON AN ISLAND AND IN A STATE THAT FRANKLY HAS NEVER HAD ANYTHING LIKE THAT.

BACK IN THE 2014‑2015 ERA.

I WOULD SAY 2020 WAS A SIGNIFICANT YEAR WHERE A LOT OF THINGS IMPLODED.

THE FOLKS THAT HAD REPLACED DAN GRABOWSKY UNDER ANDY ROBBINS.

TRYING SO‑CALLED P3, PUBLIC/PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP, AND THAT DID NOT GO VERY WELL IN THE HAND.

HARD TO MONITOR THAT.

HAD TO STAY VERY SECRET.

IN THAT ERA, WHAT THE CITY AND HART REALLY RAN UP AGAINST WAS DILLINGHAM AND DILLINGHAM CORRIDOR.

THAT PRESENTED A WHOLE NEW SLATE OF PROBLEMS.

NOT REALLY NOT NEW.

KNOWN FOR DECADES THAT WOULD BE A GAUNTLET AND REALLY ONE OF THE BIGGEST CHALLENGES OF CONSTRUCTING A RAIL LINE.

HART AND CITY FRANKLY WERE NOT AS FAST, VERY SLOW TO ACT.

AND THAT JUST HAD A CASCADING EFFECT THAT IMPACTED COST AND RISK.

WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT THE BIDS TO BUILD IT, IT JUST HAD A DOMINO EFFECT THAT CREATED ALL SORTS OF NEW PROBLEMS IN THE HUNDREDS AND EVEN BILLIONS OF DOLLARS.

IT'S A WHOLE SAGA, BUT YOU KNOW, IN A FEW MINUTES, I WOULD SAY, THAT'S REALLY DRIVEN IT UP.

>>Yunji: YOU SUMMED IT UP NICELY.

WHEN YOU LOOK AT THAT HISTORY, AND THE REPORTING THAT YOU'VE DONE, DO YOU THINK THAT WE WILL REACH THE BUDGET THAT WE HAVE NOW AND IT'S TIME LINE THAT WE HAVE NOW?

>> WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO SEE.

HART NOW HAS A PLAN IN PLACE.

THEY'VE DONE NEW DESIGNS.

GOT THE MAUKA SHIFT WHICH WE COULD DESCRIBE IN SOME DETAIL.

BASICALLY THEIR SOLUTION TO REALLY GET THROUGH SOME OF THE UTILITY RELOCATION WOES THAT ARE PLAGUING DILLINGHAM.

THE MAUKA SHIFT STILL HAS SOME APPROVALS THAT NEED TO BE DONE.

AND THOSE UTILITY RELOCATIONS UNDERWAY.

BUT REALLY AT THE BEGINNING.

HAVE THREE YEARS OF THIS AND THEN YOU STILL HAVE TO BUILD INTO TOWN.

SO WE'RE REALLY HAVE TO SEE.

SO MANY MORE CHALLENGES AHEAD.

>>Yunji: LET'S FOCUS ON THE ROUTE WE DO HAVE.

WE INVITED NEIGHBORHOOD BOARD LEADERS FROM DIFFERENT NEIGHBORHOOD BOARDS ALONG THE RAIL LINE TO TALK ABOUT WHAT THEY'RE MOST LOOKING FORWARD TO WHEN RAIL OPENS TOMORROW AND SOME OF TREPIDATION THEY STILL MIGHT HAVE.

START WITH KIONI DUDLEY MEMBER OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD BOARD OUT IN KAPOLEI.

FIRST STATION IS OF EAST KAPOLEI.

SO MR. DUDLEY, START WITH YOU.

WHAT ARE YOU MOST EXCITED ABOUT WHEN RAIL OPENS TOMORROW AND WHAT ARE SOME CONCERNS YOU STILL HAVE?

>> I THINK WHAT I'M MOST EXCITED ABOUT IS THAT WE DESPERATELY NEED RAIL AS MUCH AS I OPPOSE RAIL.

AND NEED IS FOR RIDERSHIP.

WE HAVE 76,000 MOOREHOUSES GOING TO BE BUILT ON OUR, IN CENTRAL OAHU AND WEST SIDE.

THAT MEANS SINCE TRADITIONALLY, ONE PERSON OUT OF EACH HOUSE WORKS IN A CITY, THAT MEANS 76,000 MORE PEOPLE GOING INTO THE CITY.

WE ONLY CAN MAKE ONE MORE LANE ON THE FREEWAY.

WE ONCE WE PACK THE FREEWAY, AND WE PACK THE TRAINS WITH 800 PEOPLE ON A TRAIN, WE STILL HAVE 30,000 PEOPLE WHO CANNOT MAKE IT TO WORK IN THE MORNING FROM THE CENTRAL AND WEST SIDE.

SO HAVING THE RAIL, GETTING THE RAIL COMPLETED, IS TERRIBLY IMPORTANT TO OUR PEOPLE.

AND TERRIBLY IMPORTANT TO THE FUTURE OF HAWAII.

AND GREATLY HOPE THAT PEOPLE WILL RIDE THE RAIL MUCH AS I OPPOSE THE RAIL.

>>Yunji: OKAY.

I WANT TO GET LATER.

MOVE NOW TO MITCHELL CHAIRS EWA NEIGHBORHOOD BOARD.

PRESUMABLY, PEOPLE THAT YOU REPRESENT WILL BE BOARDING AT THAT EAST KAPOLEI STATION AS WELL.

WHAT ARE YOU MOST LOOKING FORWARD TO WHEN SKYLINE STARTING UP TOMORROW AND WHAT ARE YOUR CONTINUED RESERVATIONS?

>> WELL, I WOULD SAY EAST KAPOLEI, JUST TO CORRECT YOURSELF, FIRST RAIL LINE STARTS IS HO'OPILI.

THAT IS 96706.

IN THE EWA BEACH DISTRICT.

EWA BEACH HO'OPILI BENEFIT I WOULD SAY RIGHT NOW, HO'OPILI DISTRICT BECAUSE THEY CAN WALK TO THE STATION.

PARKING IS CLOSER TO THERE.

FOR GOING INTO FORT WEAVER ROAD, WHERE EWA BEACH IS ITSELF, LITTLE BIT MORE DIFFICULT FOR OUR COMMUNITY ON INSIDE SAYING THAT ONLY GOING TO END UP IN ALOHA STADIUM RIGHT NOW.

OUR COMMUNITY CAN WAIT.

FOR OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS THAT IS IN EWA BEACH, EXPRESS BUS, THAT WILL TAKE THEM WHEREVER THEY HAVE TO GO IN TOWN.

THEY'LL USE OUR NUMBER ONE BUS SERVICE THAT WE HAVE IN THE NATION.

TO GET THERE.

IT'S HARD FOR THEM TO GO OFF THE TRACK TO EITHER KAPOLEI OR TO WAIPAHU TO GET ON TO A RAIL, TO STOP AT ALOHA STADIUM.

TO GET OFF, TRANSFER, IT DOESN'T MAKE SENSE AS OF RIGHT NOW.

I'M THINKING THAT OUR COMMUNITY IS WAITING FOR THE RAIL TO COMPLETE.

I DON'T THINK, I CAN'T WAIT FOR MY KIDS TO USE THEM.

I CAN'T WAIT FOR MYSELF.

GOING TO USE IT TOMORROW.

HOPEFULLY AND BE ON IT FOR MYSELF WHAT WE'VE BEEN WAITING FOR.

EWA TO WAIPAHU.

WHAT ARE YOU MOST LOOKING FORWARD TO AND WHAT ARE YOUR CONTINUED CONCERNS?

>> I THINK THE PROMISE THAT RAIL BROUGHT WHEN WE STARTED CONSIDERING IT, A WHILE BACK, MUCH EARLIER THAN WHAT MR. HONORE SAID.

STARTED 31 YEARS AGO.

I WAS ON THE BOARD AT THE TIME.

THE RAIL PROJECT AT THE TIME FAILED BECAUSE THE CITY COUNCIL WAS NOT ABLE TO PASS THE INCREASE IN THE GENERAL EXCISE TAX.

SO THAT WAS IN 1992.

IT'S BEEN FROM THAT POINT, WE'VE WAITED FOR RAIL.

BUT AT THAT TIME, THE REASON EVERYBODY SUPPORTED RAIL A LOT OF PEOPLE DID, WAS BECAUSE WE ALREADY HAD CONGESTION AND ROADS AND FREEWAYS GETTING INTO TOWN.

A LOT OF PEOPLE ON WEST SIDE, WAIPAHU, EWA, GO INTO DOWNTOWN HONOLULU, IF THEY CATCH THE BUS, IT WILL TAKE MAYBE 3 HOURS A DAY, YOU HAVE TO GO IN, AND GET BACK.

BECAUSE YOU HAVE TO WAIT FOR THE BUS, TRANSFER, AND THEN GET TO WHERE YOU'RE GOING.

MANY PEOPLE DO WORK IN TOWN AND WANTED TO ALA MOANA AND WAIKIKI.

SO IF PEOPLE COULD SAVE AT LEAST AN HOUR OF TIME TRAVELING, THEN IT WILL BE AN HOUR MORE TO SPEND WITH THEIR FAMILIES.

SO IT WAS REALLY SOMETHING THAT COULD IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR PEOPLE, ESPECIALLY ON THE WEST SIDE WHO HAD TO COMMUTE ON THE BUS.

NO OTHER ALTERNATIVE.

COULD SAVE THEM TIME.

IN TERMS OF TRAVELING.

OTHER PART OF IT IS THE DEVELOPMENT.

WE TALK A LOT ABOUT DEVELOPING ALONG THE RAIL LINE.

HOPEFULLY, AT THIS POINT, WE HAVE TO BE VERY CAUTIOUS IN TERMS OF HOW WE DEVELOP ALONG THE RAIL LINE.

SO WE HAVE TO PAY A LOT OF ATTENTION WHAT'S BEING PROPOSED.

SEEN THAT START ALREADY IN WAIPAHU.

BUT AS WE MOVE FURTHER ALONG THE RAIL LINE, WE'LL SEE A LOT MORE PROPOSALS FOR ADDITIONAL DEVELOPMENT.

>>Yunji: LET'S MOVE ALONG THE RAIL LINE AND GO TO PEARL CITY.

WHERE LARRY IS BOARDMEMBER THERE.

LARRY WHAT ARE YOUR CONCERNS AND WHAT ARE YOU MOST LOOKING FORWARD TO TOMORROW?

>> WELL, I HAVE MY CONCERNS BUT WE HAVE A LOT OF RESIDENTS IN THE AREA THAT HAVE MUCH BIGGER CONCERNS.

AND ESPECIALLY WITH OUR PARTNER TOWNSHIPS WITH MILILANI.

LOOK FORWARD TO PARKING GARAGE THAT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE BUILT THERE.

1600 SPACES.

BUT OF COURSE LORI KAHIKINA, WE HAD TALKED ABOUT THIS.

AND EMAIL.

SHE HAD TO MAKE THE DECISION BECAUSE SHE'S LOOKING FOR FUNDING.

EASIEST WAY TO DO IT WAS TO TAKE THAT 350 MILLION FROM THAT PARKING GARAGE.

AND OF COURSE, CHAIR OF THE MILILANI BOARD AND MYSELF, FOUGHT IT AND OF COURSE DECISION WAS MADE TO GO AHEAD AND TAKE THAT FUNDING.

I'VE BEEN GIVEN THIS A LOT OF THOUGHT.

I THOUGHT ABOUT MILILANI RESIDENCE AND TAKING CARE OF PEARL CITY.

WE'RE IN THAT TRIANGLE.

A LOT OF TRAFFIC THAT'S GOING THROUGH THERE.

HOW DO YOU GET YOUR PEOPLE OUT OF CARS?

I WOULD HATE TO SEE MILILANI RESIDENTS DRIVE INTO PEARL CITY HIGHLANDS STATION, GET TO THE PARKING LOT, WHERE THERE'S ONLY 1600 SPACES, AND CIRCLING AND CIRCLING, AND THERE SPOTS.

IT'S NOT ENOUGH.

SO I THOUGHT REALLY, THE MOST EFFICIENT WAY TO DO THIS AND COST‑EFFECTIVE WOULD BE TO PUT TOGETHER A SPECIAL SHUTTLE BUS DESIGNATED WAHIAWA PEARL CITY, DESIGNATED LANE, GET THEM INTO THAT TRAIN STATION, DROP THEM OFF.

CUT THE TIME DOWN TO WASTE IN THEIR CARS, THAT'S GOING TO BE THE BIG THING.

AS A PEARL CITY NEIGHBORHOOD BOARD, MY RESIDENTS, TALKED TO THEM.

A LOT OF NEGATIVE AT FIRST.

NOW IT'S BUILT, AND PEOPLE ARE GETTING A CHANCE TO RIDE IT, THEY'RE STARTING TO THINK, I TRIED TO HELP OUT WITH HART FOR THEIR FIRST SUCCESS STORY.

WHAT IS THAT SUCCESS STORY?

WHAT COULD IT BE?

NO KIDDING FIRST SUCCESS STORY GET THE SHIPYARD WORKS FROM WEST OAHU OUT OF THEIR VEHICLES, GET ON KAPOLEI, GET ON THE TRAIN, GET OFF AT HALAWA STATION.

BUS ALREADY IN A SPECIAL LANE GET THROUGH CONTRAFLOW THROUGH MAKALAPA GATE FOR DESTINATIONS.

CUT THAT IN HALF, THAT'S THE FIRST SUCCESS STORY FOR HART.

RIDERSHIP.

WHEN THIS STARTED WE NEEDED TO GET THE RIDERSHIP UP.

ALL OF US GOT TO PAY FOR THE OPERATING COSTS.

STILL HAVE TO TAKE IT OUT OF TAXES TO DO THAT.

HOW DO YOU GET OPERATING COSTS UP?

CAN'T RUN RAIL CUT IT OFF 7 IN THE EVENING.

BRING IT UP.

HAVE THE REQUIREMENT.

WHAT COULD THE REQUIREMENT BE?

BIG TICKET ITEM TO GET PEOPLE TO RIDE FROM WAIKIKI IN THE EVENING.

PUT A CASINO IN WEST OAHU, RIDERSHIP GOES DOWN 7 GOING WEST.

ALSO, 7:00, ALL THE TOURISTS ARE HEADED TO CASINO.

I THINK CASINOS MIGHT BE ANOTHER KAKOU.

THAT IS AN INTERESTING THOUGHT.

I WANT TO MOVE NOW FROM PEARL CITY TO AIEA.

STEVEN WOOD ON THE NEIGHBORHOOD BOARD.

SAME QUESTION.

WHAT YOU'RE EXCITED ABOUT WHEN IT OPENS TOMORROW AND STILL CONCERNED ABOUT?

>> EXCITED LIKE EVERYBODY ELSE IS EXCITED OVER THE YEARS, WE'VE BEEN WAITING FOR THIS.

NOW, IT'S A REALITY.

THAT WE CAN ACTUALLY PARTICIPATE AND RIDERSHIP OF THIS EXTENSIVE PROJECT THAT WE'VE HAD HERE ON ISLAND.

I KNOW MY RESIDENTS IN MY COMMUNITY ARE REALLY EXCITED ABOUT IT AS WELL.

I PERSONALLY SEE MYSELF ACTUALLY UTILIZING THE RAIL.

I OWN A CONDO IN WAIPAHU THAT I WOULD BE TRAVELING FROM AIEA TO WAIPAHU TO USE IT.

SO I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO THAT.

THE THINGS, CHALLENGES THAT I STILL SEE AND THINGS THAT I'VE BEEN RECEIVING FROM MY CONSTITUENTS, IS RIGHT NOW, TRAFFIC PATTERNS ASSOCIATED WITH THE BUILDOUT OF THE RAIL ARE STILL NOT IDEAL.

WE'RE SEEING LENGTHS OF ALONG THAT RAIL LINE.

WHERE BUSINESSES ARE BEING IMPACTED STILL.

BECAUSE OF TRAFFIC PATTERNS ASSOCIATED WITH IT.

FOR EXAMPLE, IN LARRY'S DISTRICT, WAIPAHU HOME ROAD, TAKES ABOUT 2‑MILES TO GET TO A BUSINESS GOING FROM ONE BUSINESS TO THE OTHER SIDE.

THERE IS NO U‑TURNS.

HAVE TO GO TO ONE LIGHT TO ANOTHER LIGHT TO DO THE U‑TURN.

SEEING THAT SEVERAL AREAS ALONG THE RAIL.

FOR US RIGHT NOW, STADIUM IS BEING TORN DOWN.

AND WE'RE EXCITED ABOUT HALAWA STATION BEING WHERE IT'S AT.

BECAUSE STADIUM DISTRICT IS BEING PLANNED RIGHT NOW TO BE A BIG IMPACT ON OUR ECONOMY IN AIEA.

BUT REALLY, WHERE THE RIDERSHIP IS GOING TO BE IS TO THE AIRPORT AND ALSO TO MAKE MAKALAPA STATION SUPPORT THE HALAWA FOLKS.

ASKING HART TO TRY TO GET THAT OPEN SOONER BECAUSE I THINK THAT WOULD DEFINITELY INCREASE THE RIDERSHIP GOING FORWARD.

LAST THING I DO WANT TO MENTION IS FACILITIES AT THE RAIL STATIONS.

>> BEEN ASKED NUMEROUS TIMES ABOUT BATHROOMS IN PARTICULAR.

THERE ARE BATHROOMS THERE.

HOW TO MANAGE THAT AND UTILIZE THOSE GOING FORWARD ANOTHER DISCUSSION WE HAVE TO TONIGHT.

I THINK IT IS A POSSIBILITY.

IT HAS BEEN SIGNIFICANT TOPIC I RECEIVED OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF WEEKS SURPRISINGLY.

>>Yunji: BRING IN PATRICK HERE FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION FROM THE CITY.

DIRECTOR OF DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION.

DTS IS RESPONSIBLE FOR OPERATING SKYLINE.

JUST TO GIVE OUR VIEWERS SOME PERSPECTIVE WE WANT TO GO OVER A FEW NUTS AND BOLTS HERE.

GRAPHIC HERE.

SKYLINE RUNS HOURS OF OPERATION 5:00 IN THE MORNING TO 7:00 WEEKDAYS 8 TO 7:00.

THREE DOLLARS FOR ADULTS.

$1.50 FOR YOUTH.

$1.25 FOR SENIORS.

RIDERSHIP QUESTION GET INTO THIS TONIGHT CITY DOES EXPECT 8 TO 10,000 RIDERS PER DAY BY THE END OF THIS YEAR.

25,000 RIDERS PER DAY FOR THE NEXT SEGMENT.

ALOHA STADIUM TO MIDDLE STREET.

AND ROUGHLY 85,000 RIDERS PER DAY ONCE THAT FINAL SEGMENT TO KAKAAKO IS COMPLETE.

JUST INTERESTED TO HEAR YOUR THOUGHTS ABOUT THOSE RIDERSHIP NUMBERS WHERE THEY COME FROM AND HOW SIGNIFICANT YOU THINK THEY ARE.

>> THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF ANALYSIS GONE INTO BUILDING RIDERSHIP MODELS AND FORECASTING THE NEED.

RIDERSHIP MODELS CAN ONLY TAKE YOU SO FAR.

AND ONLY TIME WILL TELL.

WHAT WE ACTUALLY ACHIEVE.

AND I THINK THERE SOME SO MOMENTUM I THINK THIS IS AN IMPORTANT PART OF THE TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM FOR HONOLULU.

AND OAHU.

AND I'M EXCITED TO SEE WHAT THE NUMBERS LOOK LIKE AFTER WE OPEN THE FIRST SEGMENT.

>>Yunji: THERE IS ALREADY A QUESTION HERE.

I LOVE TO BRING IN OUR AUDIENCE.

REMEMBER, YOU CAN CALL OR EMAIL YOUR QUESTIONS.

SEND THEM TO US ON SOCIAL MEDIA AS WELL.

THIS PERSON ASKS, CLOSING TIME AT 7:00 P.M., SEEMS KIND OF EARLY.

IS THERE A CHANCE IT MIGHT GET EXTENDED TO A LATER TIME?

>> SO THIS IS NOT UNCOMMON WHEN YOU START UP A NEW SYSTEM.

WE ARE GOING TO MONITOR THE RIDERSHIP NUMBERS.

YES, ALWAYS OPPORTUNITIES TO MAKE ADJUSTMENTS BASED ON DEMAND.

I KNOW EARLIER, THERE WAS A MENTION ABOUT OPERATING COSTS AND SUSTAINABILITY.

WE WANT TO BE VERY RESPONSIBLE ABOUT THAT.

AND IF THERE IS A DEMAND, FOR HOURS TO EXPAND, WE'LL LOOK AT THAT.

WE'LL SEEK THE REQUIRED APPROVALS AND WE'LL MAKE IN A ADJUSTMENTS.

>>Yunji: ON THE SUBJECT OF OPERATING COSTS I WANT TO GO NOW TO HONOLULU CITY COUNCIL MEMBER TYLER DOS SANTOS TAM.

CITY IS ESTIMATING THAT COST ABOUT $75 MILLION A YEAR TO OPERATE HART.

ABOVE AND BEYOND THE CONSTRUCTION COSTS THEMSELVES OR SKYLINE I SHOULD SAY.

STILL HAVE TO GET THAT NAME INTO MY HEAD.

GIVEN THAT $75 MILLION ANNUAL EXPENSE, WE NEED THAT FARES WILL NOT MAKE THAT UP.

THAT IS NOT CASE WITH THE BUS EITHER.

THEY RUN A DEFICIT WHEN IT COMES TO FARES.

IT IS A VERY WELL USED SYSTEM.

GIVEN THOSE RIDERSHIP NUMBERS THAT WE LAID OUT, DO THOSE TWO MATCH?

IN OTHER WORDS, IF WE HAVE $75 MILLION IN EXPENSES, 10,000 PEOPLE A YEAR, RIDING THIS, HOW DOES THAT MEASURE UP IN YOUR MIND?

>> I THINK FOR THE FIRST FEW YEARS, WE'RE GOING TO FACE DILEMMA OF TRACKING RIDERSHIP AND TRACKING COSTS AND KIND OF ROI.

ONCE WE GET MIDDLE STREET, INTO TOWN, THAT EQUATION IS GOING TO CHANGE.

I THINK FEW OTHER THINGS WE NEED TO KEEP IN MIND.

COST TO OPERATE PER PASSENGER FOR THE BUS IS WHOLE LOT MORE EXPENSIVE THAN FOR RAIL.

RAIL IS MUCH MORE EFFICIENT WAY OF GETTING PEOPLE AROUND.

URBAN CORA LONG THE SORT OF SOUTH SHORE OF ISLAND.

BEYOND THAT, THERE IS A FUNDAMENTAL QUESTION, HOW DO WE PAY FOR IT?

NEW COST FOR ALL OF US.

SO I THINK FOR ME AND MY COLLEAGUES, FOR FUTURE YEARS, BEYOND THIS CURRENT FISCAL YEAR, HAVE TO THINK CREATIVELY ABOUT HOW WE CAN FUND THIS.

I'VE TALKED TO FOR THE PAST ON THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL, NOW, ABOUT SOME CREATIVE IDEAS.

DIFFERENT STRUCTURE.

FINANCING DISTRICT NEW DEVELOPMENTING WE'RE EXPECTING AROUND THE RAIL STATIONS.

HOW CAN WE TAKE THE NEW PROPERTY TAX THEY'RE GOING GENERATE AND PAY FOR RAIL.

NOT JUST EVERYONE AROUND THE ISLAND PAYING.

PUT A PREMIUM ON HAVING PROXIMITY TO THE RAIL LINE.

THAT WAS KIND OF THE IDEA AND WE NEED TO CREATE THAT STRUCTURE.

DOESN'T EXIST RIGHT NOW.

A LOT OF OTHER CITIES ARE DOING IT.

BRING THAT IDEA.

>>Yunji: PRESIDENT OF FAITH ACTION HAWAII.

TALK ABOUT NUMBERS HOW LONG THIS IS GOING TO BE MANY TALK ABOUT THE PEOPLE ACTUALLY GOING TO START UTILIZING RAIL AND WHAT KIND OF IMPACTS DO YOU THINK THIS CAN HAVE IN THE PEOPLE THAT YOU WORK WITH MOST CLOSELY IN TERMS OF THEIR DAILY LIVES AND COMMUTE.

>> SURE.

ABSOLUTELY.

I DO THINK THAT BEING PART OF A FAITH‑BASED ORGANIZATION LIKE FAITH ACTION HAWAII, THERE IS CERTAINLY, PERSPECTIVE THAT WE CARRY.

THAT IS REALLY DERIVES FROM POSTURE OF SPIRITUALITY OF FAITH, HOPE, OF RECONCILIATION OF MORALITY OF ETHICS.

AND FAITH ACTION HAS BEEN ONE OF THE VERY FIRST SUPPORTERS OF THIS RAIL PROJECT BECAUSE WE BELIEVE THAT THE DESTINATION, END GOAL SHALL WE SAY, IS REALLY IMPROVEMENT OF THE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR THE PEOPLE OF THIS ISLAND.

AND TO HAVE SAFE STREETS TO WALK IN, TO HAVE HOUSING THAT IS AFFORDABLE, COMMUNITIES THAT HEALTHY ESPECIALLY FOR THE WORKING CLASS, WE BEGIN TO LOOK AT THIS, WE SEE IT AS MUCH MORE THAN TRANSPORTATION TOOL.

I THINK WE SEE IT AS SOMETHING THAT WILL REALLY HELP AND MAKE IT BETTER OUR KIND OF COMMON HUMAN LIFE TOGETHER.

THERE SEEMS TO BE A CONNECTION THERE.

I THINK THAT IS WHAT PEOPLE REALLY CARE ABOUT.

IS THE QUALITY OF LIFE.

>>Yunji: I WANT TO BRING OF ANTHONY.

HART BOARDMEMBER.

TALK ABOUT RIDERSHIP, YOU DON'T THINK THAT IS THE BEST METRIC.

EVALUATE RAIL AND THAT $75 MILLION ANNUAL INVESTMENT ON TOP OF THE MONEY SPENT SO FAR, MONEY WE WILL SPEND TO BUILD IT OUT, WHAT DO YOU THINK IS THE BETTER COURSE TO LOOK AT?

WHAT ARE THE BETTER METRICS?

>> SO I SHOULD EXPLAIN.

I BECAME A SUPPORT OF THE RAIL PROJECT AFTER I SPENT A LOT OF MY FREE TIME SEVERAL YEARS FIGHTING AGAINST THE HO'OPILI ENCOURAGING HOUSING DEVELOPMENTS.

I DID IT ON BEHALF OF SIERRA CLUB.

TOOK THE DEVELOPMENTS TO THE SUPREME COURT THREE TIMES.

KEONE DUDLEY WAS OUR LEADER.

I WAS THE BACK UP TO KIONI.

WE SPENT SO MUCH TIME WORKING ON IT.

AT THE END, CLEAR THAT WE COULD NOT WIN THAT BATTLE.

WE HAD TO SIT DOWN AND THOUGHT ABOUT IT, WE SAID, WE CANNOT WIN THESE BATTLES TO PROTECT THIS FARM LAND.

PROTECTING THAT FARM LAND AND REST OF OUR FARM LAND IS VITAL.

I THINK PEOPLE UNDERSTAND NOW MUCH MORE THAN THEY DID BEFORE.

JUST HOW VULNERABLE OUR FOOD SUPPLY IS.

ISSUE THAT WE WERE TALKING ABOUT.

KOA RIDGE AND HO'OPILI WERE THE TWO MOST PRODUCTIVE FARMS IN THE STATE OF FOOD GROWN AND CONSUMED IN THIS STATE.

SO THERE WAS A VERY IMPORTANT TO REASON TO PROTECT THOSE FARM LANDS.

WHAT WE WERE LOOKING AT, WHICH REALIZE THAT WE'RE NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO STOP THESE DEVELOPMENTS BECAUSE WE HAVE SUCH A HOUSING CRISIS IN THIS STATE.

WE STOPPED AND WE SAID, WE CANNOT CONTINUE TO FIGHT THESE BATTLES TO TRY TO STOP SUBURBAN SPRAWL DEVELOPMENTS BECAUSE WE NEED THE HOUSING.

WE HAVE TO COME UP WITH AN ANSWER TO THAT.

ANSWER TO THAT FROM THE SIERRA CLUB, LET'S BUILD TALL AND DENSE WHERE WE ALREADY BUILT.

GIVEN THAT WE HAVEONE OF THE MOST CONGESTED FREEWAYS IN THE NATION, HOW ARE YOU GOING TO MOVE PEOPLE AROUND?

PUT ANOTHER 100,000 PEOPLE IN THE LEEWARD CORRIDOR, HOW ARE THEY GOING TO MOVE AROUND?

THAT'S WHAT LED US TO RAIL.

IT WAS A HOPE AT THAT TIME, I HAVE TO SAY THAT HART HAS EXCEEDED MY WILDEST EXPECTATIONS ON THAT POINT.

WHEN IT COMES TO DEVELOPMENT, IF YOU LOOK AT THE DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS, SLATED NOW, ON THIS ISLAND, THERE ARE ALONG THE RAIL ROUTE.

WE'RE TALKING ABOUT 48,000 UNITS.

I WANT TO HIGHLIGHT SOMETHING.

EVERY POLITICAL LEADER IN THIS STATE FROM THE GOVERNOR ON DOWN, IS PROMISING TO BUILD 50,000 NEW HOUSING UNITS ON THIS ISLAND IN THE NEXT 20 YEARS.

IF IT WEREN'T FOR THE RAIL, WHERE WOULD WE BE PUTTING THEM?

KAILUA?

WAIMANALO?

HAD ACROSS FROM DOLE PLANTATION?

THE PLANS ALREADY IN PLACE.

IF WE WERE TO BUILD THOSE 50,000 UNITS THE WAY WE BUILT THE LAST SUBURBAN SPRAWL HOUSING DEVELOPMENT WE PERMITTED ON THIS ISLAND.

KOA RIDGE.

DENSITY OF 6 HOUSES PER ACRE, TO COLONATE 50,000 PEOPLE, 50,000 UNITS NEED 13 SQUARE MILES OF LAND.

WILL WE FIND THAT LAND?

SO I'M ASTONISHED AT THE AMOUNT OF DEVELOPMENT THAT IS BEING PUT ALONG THE RAIL LANE.

>> RAGING SUCCESS ALREADY.

ISSUE OF COSTS RUNNING THE SYSTEM.

ONE OF THE MAJOR COSTS IS POWERING THE SYSTEM.

ESPECIALLY BECAUSE HECO WANTS TO CHARGE US CRIMINAL RATES FOR THE ELECTRICITY.

BASICALLY WANT TO SAY, IF YOU USE THE RAIL, AT PEAK TIME, WE'RE GOING TO CHARGE YOU THAT RATE THAT PEAK RATE FOR ALL THROUGHOUT THE DAY.

WHICH IS AS FAR AS I'M CONCERNED DAYLIGHT ROBBERY.

HART SET UP COMMITTEE TO LOOK AT INSTALLING OUR OWN PV SYSTEM ALONG THE GUIDEWAY.

THERE'S ENOUGH ACREAGE ON THE GUIDEWAY AND ON THE MAINTENANCE CENTER TO PRODUCE ENOUGH SOLAR POWER TO RUN THE SYSTEM DURING THE DAYTIME.

THAT WOULD HELP REDUCE COST OF RUNNING SYSTEM.

I HAVE TO SAY, RIDERSHIP, TRAFFIC, IS NOT MY FIRST SECOND OR EVEN MY THIRD REASON SUPPORTING THE RAIL.

SECOND REASON FOR SUPPORTING RAIL WHICH REVEREND JUST TOUCHED ON, SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC EQUITY.

DO YOU KNOW HOW MUCH IT COSTS TO MAINTAIN A CAR IN THIS STATE?

IT'S $8,000 A YEAR.

80% OF HOUSEHOLDS IN THIS STATE HAVE TWO CARS.

SO YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT MINIMUM OF ABOUT 15 GRAND A YEAR PER HOUSEHOLD.

THAT'S NOT EVEN INCLUDING PARKING.

SO IF WE COULD ALLOW PEOPLE WITH THIS SYSTEM TO GET RID ONE OF CAR, SAVING A LOT OF MONEY.

REASON NUMBER TWO.

NOT TO MENTION COMMUTES THAT PEOPLE IN THE WEST SIDE FROM WAIANAE, IT AVERAGES AN HOUR AND 40 MINUTES ONE WAY.

AVERAGE.

SO THAT MEANS WHEN SCHOOLS ARE OUT, WE DON'T KNOW WHAT'S LIKE IN DECEMBER BEFORE CHRISTMAS.

WE ALL KNOW.

COMMUTES ARE HORRENDOUS.

THAT IS A QUALITY OF LIFE ISSUE FOR THE MOST VULNERABLE PEOPLE IN ON THIS ISLAND.

SO I DON'T DISCOUNT THAT ISSUE EITHER.

THIRD ISSUE IS, COMING FROM THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMUNITY, IS THE RESILIENCE IT'S GOING TO GIVE US.

WHEN THE HURRICANE HITS, BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE HIT BY A HURRICANE, WHEN EVERY UTILITY POLE ON DILLINGHAM IS DOWN, WHEN NIMITZ IS FLOODED, CARS AREN'T MOVING, RAIL IS STILL GOING TO BE WHIZZING BY.

NOT ONLY THAT, BECAUSE IT'S 5‑FOOT IN THE AIR, FOR THE COMMUNITIES HAVE TO START TO ADAPT.

35 FEET IN THE AIR.

ADAPT FOR RISING SEA LEVELS.

RAIL IS GOING TO BE MAJOR PIECE OF RESILIENT INFRASTRUCTURE THAT IS GOING TO ALLOW US TO ADAPT TO SEA LEVELS.

SO THAT WHY I SAY, TRAFFIC IS ISSUE NUMBER 4 ON MY LIST OF PRIORITIES.

>>Yunji: FOLLOW UP ON THAT DEVELOPMENT QUESTION.

OR THAT DEVELOPMENT POINT.

BECAUSE YOU HAD SAID IN YOUR ANSWER THAT YOU'RE AWARE YOU OF SOME OF THE DEVELOPMENTS THAT IS ALREADY HAPPENING.

YOU'RE WARY.

WHAT IS SLATED TO BE BUILT.

TELL US YOUR CONCERNS.

>> OKAY.

IN WAIPAHU, WHERE I LIVE, THAT IS WHERE RAIL IS GOING TO COME THROUGH THAT COMMUNITY.

HAS TWO TRANSIT STOPS.

AND IN THE PAST TWO WEEKS, THERE ARE REPORTS OF TWO SUPERMARKETS BEING TAKEN OVER BY DEVELOPMENT ON THE RAIL LINE.

WE UNDERSTAND THAT DEVELOPMENT WILL OCCUR ON THE RAIL LINE.

BUT LIKE I SAID, YOU NEED TO BE VERY WARY AND CAUTIOUS ABOUT HOW YOU DO THE DEVELOPMENT BECAUSE FOR EXAMPLE, THE TIMES SUPERMARKET CLOSING IN WAIPAHU PART OF KAMEHAMEHA SCHOOLS DEVELOPMENT.

BUT THE 530 UNITS ON 3.8 ACRES.

TAKE OUT TIMES SUPERMARKET.

IN THE NEXT YEAR OR SO.

AT THE SAME TIME, PAST WEEK, WE HEARD THAT DON QUIJOTE, OTHER SUPERMARKET IN WAIPAHU CLOSE NEXT YEAR.

MOST SUPERMARKETS CLOSE NEXT YEAR, WHAT IS GOING TO HAPPEN IS THAT'S GOING TO REALLY LIMIT PEOPLE'S ACCESS, THE PEOPLE IN OUR COMMUNITY, WAIPAHU, THEIR ACCESS TO AFFORDABLE FOOD AND NUTRITIOUS, FRESH, FRUITS AND VEGETABLES.

THAT MAY LEAD TO, SEEN THAT HAPPEN ON THE MAINLAND.

CALLED FOOD DESERTS.

I DON'T THINK THAT IS WHAT WE WANT.

ON THE RAIL LINE.

NEXT YEAR WE COULD SEE IS THAT STARTING TO HAPPEN.

QUESTION IS WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO TO FILL KIND OF VOID THAT'S OCCURRING?

TWO SUPERMARKETS ARE CLOSING IN A YEAR.

SO IMPACT IS GOING TO HAPPEN.

AND I DON'T KNOW ABOUT SOCIAL EQUITY, BUT TO ME, THAT IS THE ROAD TO SOCIAL INJUSTICE.

>>Yunji: TYLER HOW DO WE MAKE SURE THAT THE DEVELOPMENT THAT WE DO SEE ALONG THE RAIL LINE IS KEEPING ALL RESIDENTS IN MIND?

>> SOMETHING ME AND MY COLLEAGUES DISCUSS AS MORE T.O.D.

PROJECTS COME IN FOR PERMITTING.

SO THOSE IMPACTS ARE NOT JUST OVER LONGTERM, LOOK AT THE IMPACT ON TRAFFIC OVERALL AND HEIGHT AND COMMUNITY BENEFITS NEED TO LOOK AT SORT OF DISPLACEMENT QUESTIONS.

WE ARE A BIG CITY AND PROJECTS LIKE THIS AS WELL AS EVEN SMALLER ONES WE UNDER TAKE, THEY DO CAUSE GROWING PAINS.

SO WE WANT TO MAKE SURE IN A PLACE LIKE WAIPAHU ESPECIALLY WORKING CLASS COMMUNITY LIKE THAT, THOSE GROWING PAINS AREN'T ALL AT ONCE.

VERY SUDDEN.

AND VERY DETRIMENTAL TO THE COMMUNITY HEALTH.

REALLY GOOD POINT WE SHOULD BE LOOKING INTO.

>>Yunji: BRING IN PATRICK.

BUNCH OF SORT OF NUTS AND BOLTS KIND OF QUESTIONS.

I THINK YOU'RE JUST THE MAN FOR THESE.

GARY WANTS TO KNOW, HOW WOULD YOU HANDLE MEDICAL EMERGENCIES ON THE RAIL?

THESE ARE DRIVERLESS TRAINS.

IS THERE IS ROVING SECURITY AND HART DID DO NUMBER OF TESTS IN THE LEAD UP TO HANDING THIS OVER.

TELL US HOW MEDICAL EMERGENCY WOULD BE HANDLED.

>> COUPLE OF THINGS TO POINT OUT.

WE WORKED HAVE CLOSELY WITH EMERGENCY RESPONDERS ACROSS THE ISLAND.

ALL RECEIVED SPECIAL FAMILIARIZATION TRAINING AND WE'VE ALSO DONE TABLETOP EXERCISES AS WELL AS FULL SCALE EXERCISES TO PREPARE OURSELVES FOR JUST THAT.

IN ADDITION TO THAT, HAVE A NUMBER OF PLANS PROCEDURES AND WORK INSTRUCTIONS WE RELY ON GOVERN STAFF ACTIONS WHEN THOSE OCCUR.

POINT OUT, JUST FROM A TECHNOLOGY STANDPOINT, ON BOARD THE TRAIN, AND AT ALL OF THE STATIONS, WE DO HAVE EMERGENCY TELEPHONES AND CUSTOMERS ARE ABLE TO ESSENTIALLY HIT THAT BUTTON, TALK TO A LIVE PERSON, ON THE OTHER SIDE, WHICH IS ON OUR OPERATION CONTROL CENTER AND ANY TIME THAT BUTTON IS PRESSED, ESSENTIALLY, CAMERA PANS TO THAT VIEWPOINT, SO THE PERSON THAT YOU'RE SPEAKING WITH ON THE OTHER LINE CAN SEE YOU AND THEY HAVE DIRECT CONNECTION WITH EMERGENCY RESPONDERS AS WELL.

I THINK WE'RE CONFIDENT THAT IF AN EMERGENCY OCCURS ON THE SYSTEM, THAT WE'LL BE ABLE TO RESPOND RAPIDLY AND APPROPRIATELY FOR THE SITUATION.

>> CAMERAS EVERYWHERE.

>> YEAH.

WHETHER YOU'RE IN THE STATION OR WHETHER YOU'RE ON THE VEHICLE, WE DO HAVE 24‑7 MONITORING OF SYSTEM THROUGH SECURITY COMMAND CONSOLE AND OTHER POSITIONS HAVE ACCESS TO THOSE CAMERAS AS WELL.

>> AM I MISTAKEN ACTUAL LADDERS ON THE TRAINS THEMSELVES TOO?

>> NO.

YOU'RE ABSOLUTELY CORRECT.

SO ON BOARD THE TRAIN, IN ADDITION TO THE EMERGENCY TELEPHONES, WE HAVE FIRE EXTINGUISHERS.

WE ALSO HAVE EMERGENCY LADDERS.

REASON THOSE ARE ON THE TRAIN, IS BECAUSE THE GUIDEWAY IS ELEVATED.

SO IN THE EVENT THAT TRAIN, IF THERE WAS A TRAIN STOPPAGE, BETWEEN STATIONS, AND WE HAD TO EVACUATE FOR SOME REASON, WE WOULD NEED TO DEPLOY THE LADDERS AND THEN SAFELY GUIDE PEOPLE FROM THAT POINT TO A STATION.

>>Yunji: THERE IS A NUMBER OF QUESTIONS ABOUT TRAFFIC.

WE DO HAVE A GRAPHIC THAT ILLUSTRATES THREE OF THE NINE STATIONS THAT ARE OPENING.

WILL HAVE FREE PARKING.

AND WE CAN BRING THOSE UP IN JUST A SECOND.

THERE A QUESTION ABOUT PEARL CITY.

WHICH I KNOW LARRY THAT YOU HAD MENTIONED AS WELL.

I WANT TO ACTUALLY ASK THIS TO MARCEL.

WHEN THEY PLAN TO BUILD THE PARKING STRUCTURE OR ALTERNATIVE NEAR PEARL HIGHLANDS LEADING TO QUESTIONS WHERE THESE CARS ARE GOING TO GO.

NOT JUST FOR THAT STATION BUT ALL THE STATIONS.

>> STILL REALLY TO BE DETERMINED.

I MEAN, WHEN HART SCALED BACK THE PROJECT, AS PART OF THEIR LATEST ITERATION OF THE RECOVERY PLAN, SAYING TECHNICALLY, THEY'RE WORKING WITH THE FEDS AND FTA AND THEY'RE SAYING WHAT WE HAVE THE CAPACITY TO BUILD AT THIS POINT IN TIME.

AND THIS COVERS THE 1.55 BILLION CONTRIBUTION THAT FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IS PROVIDING.

AND ANYTHING THAT WE BUILD PAST THAT, THAT'S A BRIDGE THAT WE ARE GOING TO CROSS SOME TIME IN THE FUTURE.

I MEAN, ANTHONY CAN WEIGH IN ON THIS.

WHAT YOU HEAR A LOT TOO IS AT SOME POINT, CITY MIGHT GO BACK HAT IN HAND TO THE STATE LEGISLATURE AND EVERY TIME THEY'VE GONE TO THE LEGISLATURE, THERE'S BEEN AT LEAST AT THE START OF THE SESSION, THERE'S BEEN URGED LAWMAKERS THERE TO EXTEND THE G.E.T.

IN PERPETUITY OR EXTEND IT LONGER THAN WHAT THE LEDGE HAS GIVEN.

WHAT THE LEDGE TO DO, NOT GIVE A PENNY MORE THAN YOU NEED, I THINK MAYBE WHEN THE POLITICAL CLIMATE IS BETTER, YOU MIGHT SEE ANOTHER BITE AT THE APPLE EVEN THOUGH WHAT STATE LAWMAKERS HAVE SAID IN THE PAST.

BITE AT THE APPLE, DO NOT COME BACK TO US.

I DON'T KNOW.

WHAT WE'LL SEE IN THE COMING YEARS.

>>Yunji: TALK TO YOU ABOUT THAT.

WHERE DO YOU FORESEE THAT CONVERSATION GOING?

>> THE EXPERIENCE OF EVERY MAJOR MASS TRANSIT RAIL SYSTEM IN THE NATION HAS BEEN AFTER IT'S BEEN INAUGURATED PEOPLE START TO APPRECIATE IT AND EVENTUALLY STARTED TO ASK FOR EXTENSIONS.

LIVED IN WASHINGTON, D.C., YOU KNOW WHAT THAT EXPERIENCE WAS LIKE.

FIRST MAJOR OPPOSITION TO THE METRO.

PEOPLE SMACKING THEMSELVES IN THE FOREHEAD WHY ARE WE OPPOSED TO IT.

BEGGING GOVERNMENT TO SPEND MORE MONEY AND ADD MORE EXTENSIONS.

I EXPECT TO SEE THAT HERE.

MEMBER OF THE BOARD NEVER GOING TO VOTE FOR THE PEARL HIGHLANDS PARKING GARAGE.

THOSE ARE GOING TO BE THE MOST EXPENSIVE PARKING SLOTS IN THE ENTIRE NATION.

THIRD OF A BILLION DOLLARS FOR 1600 PARKING LOTS.

MADE ABSOLUTELY NO SENSE.

FOR ABOUT DOUBLE THAT, YOU COULD EXTEND THE RAIL LINE AT GRADE UP KAMEHAMEHA HIGHWAY TO KA'UKA BOULEVARD NEXT TO COSTCO.

BUILD A CAR PARK AS LARGE AS YOU LIKE.

OPEN UP SYSTEM TO THE ENTIRE CENTRAL OAHU AND NORTH SHORE.

AS A HE MEMBER OF THE BOARD, THAT'S WHAT I'LL BE PUSHING FOR.

>> I DO THINK THOSE PEOPLE DO NEED TO BE SERVED.

NUMBER OF PEOPLE, NUMBER OF PASSENGERS SUPPOSED TO BE COMING IN AS A RESULT OF THAT CAR PART WASN'T THAT MUCH.

2% OF OUR RIDERSHIP.

>> 1600.

>> YEAH.

VERY, VERY LITTLE.

IN TERMS OF THAT, IF YOU'RE WORRIED ABOUT RIDERSHIP NUMBERS, WHICH AS YOU KNOW, AT THE MOMENT, I'M NOT, I THINK THAT IS SMARTER WAY TO SPEND YOUR MONEY.

IF YOU GET UP TO KA'UKA BOULEVARD, DOUBLING THE COST OF PARKING THE GARAGE, ALMOST AT MILILANI.

OPEN IT UP TO SCHOFIELD, WHOLE SECTION OF THE ISLAND.

AND I SUSPECT THAT AS PEOPLE START TO USE THE SYSTEM, AND TO ENJOY IT, THAT THERE WILL BE PRESSURE FOR THAT.

SAYING, LET'S HAVE AN EXTENSION UP THERE.

>>Yunji: WE DO HAVE THAT GRAPHIC THERE.

YOU SEE U.H.

WEST OAHU HAS 304 SPACES FOR THEIR PARK HO'OPILI CLOSE TO 350.

HALAWA 580.

ARE YOU CONCERNED ABOUT THE STATIONS THAT DON'T HAVE PARKING AND WHAT COULD HAPPEN TO THE NEIGHBORHOODS THERE?

>> ONE CONCERN DOES COME TO MIND, GET TO THE AIRPORT, BIG ATTRACTION TO FOLKS.

I AM CONCERNED ABOUT PEOPLE PARKING IN OTHER NEIGHBORHOODS THEN RIDING RAIL.

FEW STOPS TO THE AIRPORT AND LEAVING THEIR CARE FOR A LONGTERM.

SOMETHING WE CAN LOOK AT AND THINK ABOUT OVER NEXT FEW YEARS.

AS FOR THE PEARL HIGHLANDS GARAGE, I WANT TO COMMEND COUNCILMEMBER WEYER AND AUGIE TULBA PUT FORWARD RESOLUTION ASKING FOR INFORMATION AND CLARITY AND TIMELINE AND EXPECTATIONS AROUND THIS GARAGE EVENTUALLY.

LAST TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE MEETING COUNCILMEMBER OKIMOTO ASKED MORE INFORMATION HOW WE CAN GET A SHUTTLE BUS FROM CENTRAL OAHU.

THAT SERVES EITHER PEARL HIGHLANDS OR LCC.

WANT PEOPLE NOT DRIVE THE CAR TO THE RAIL.

GET ON THE BUS.

ENTER THIS CAR FREE PUBLIC TRANSIT WORLD FROM YOUR DOORSTEP.

INSTEAD.

HASSLE OF GETTING INTO YOUR CAR.

DRIVING, PARKING, IF WE CAN MAKE IT SEAMLESS AND EASY TO JUST GET ON THE BUS WITH YOUR HOLO CARD AND GET ON TO RAIL, THAT IS GOING TO BE A LOT EASIER.

>>Yunji: WHAT YOU'RE TALKING FUNDAMENTAL SHIFT IN THE WAY WE DO TRANSPORTATION HERE IN HAWAII.

JUST CURIOUS.

WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS?

DO YOU THINK THERE WILL BE THE KIND OF BUY‑IN?

YOU SAY YOU MIGHT BE ABLE TO RIDE THIS FROM HOME TO WORK.

>> LARRY AND I WERE TALKING ABOUT BEFORE THIS.

ONE OF THE TOPICS WE WERE DISCUSSING DROP‑OFF POINTS.

THESE RAIL STATIONS THAT DON'T HAVE PARKING, THEY ALSO DON'T HAVE DROP‑OFF POINTS.

SO INSTALLING THOSE WOULD BE FAIRLY LOW COST EFFORT.

I SEE.

WE WOULD HAVE LIKE TURNOUT OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT, WHERE UBER LYFT, DRIVER COULD DROP OFF A PERSON.

TAXIS COULD DROP OFF A PERSON.

BUS STOP CLOSE TO THAT LOCATION.

BUT THOSE KIND OF LOCATIONS WE COULD DO THOSE KIND OF THINGS.

THOSE ARE FAIRLY LOW COST.

EASY SOLUTIONS TO INCORPORATE.

GOING BACK TO THE PEARL HIGHLANDS.

>> LARRY MENTIONED BUS ROUTES COMING FROM MILILANI AREA, TO SUPPORT THAT GOOD INTERIM SOLUTION TO THE PROBLEM.

LONGTERM SOLUTION PROBABLY HAVE TO BE SOMETHING ELSE.

HOW I SEE IT.

I'M LUCKY ENOUGH TO HAVE PARKING AT HALAWA.

SO I'M NOT SO CONCERNED ABOUT IT.

BUT WHEN THE ACTUAL ENTERTAINMENT DISTRICT GETS PUT IN WITH THE STADIUM.

THAT 580 SLOTS IS GOING TO GET FILLED UP PRETTY QUICKLY.

HOPEFULLY WE CAN, WE'LL CROSS THAT BRIDGE WHEN WE GET THAT.

>>Yunji: I WANT REVEREND TO RESPOND.

COUPLE QUESTIONS.

SENTIMENT WE HEARD.

IT SAYS HERE, THIS IS HENRY MCMASTER CULL.

>> HOW DO PEOPLE ON THE WINDWARD SIDE BENEFIT FROM THE RAIL.

>> WILL THERE BE TAX RELIEF FOR THEM?

I DON'T EXPECT YOU TO ANSWER ABOUT TAX RELIEF.

BUMMED.

ZERO INPUT IN THE FIASCO.

WINDWARD RESIDENTS FORCED TO PAY FOR A SYSTEM THEY'LL NEVER, EVER USE.

WHY?

YOU TALKED ABOUT SO MUCH JUSTICE.

THINK ABOUT HOW WE VALUE THIS PROJECT.

THINK ABOUT SOCIAL JUSTICE.

HOW DO WE GET BUY‑IN FROM THE ENTIRE ISLAND, NOT JUST FOLKS THAT BOARD THE TRAIN?

>> WISDOM HERE.

FOR SOME, THIS RAIL MAY NOT BENEFIT THEM BUT IT WILL BENEFIT OUR CHILDREN AND CHILDREN'S CHILDREN AND CHILDREN'S CHILDREN.

AND THE WISDOM OF THAT, I THINK, IS CERTAINLY TO BE REMINDED TO HAVE THIS LONG VIEW OF WHAT IS HAPPENING HERE.

TOO MANY TIMES, WE'RE TOO NARROW IN OUR VIEW AND BY THE WAY, IT IS CLEAR THAT THERE HAS BEEN MISCALCULATIONS.

MISINFORMATION.

THE TRUST AND THE CONFIDENCE OF THE PUBLIC HAS BEEN DETERIORATED.

AND BUT YET YOU ALSO HAVE TO ACKNOWLEDGE HARD WORK, BLOOD, SWEAT, TEARS OF THOSE WHO HAVE BEEN WORKING HARD TO GET US TO THIS POINT.

BUT IF I'M HONEST, THIS IS A PARADOX.

BECAUSE ON ONE SIDE, WE DO CELEBRATE AND EXCITED FOR THIS NEW THING.

OTHER SIDE, WE DO LAMENT, WE DO LAMENT THE FAILURES AND MISTAKES, DELAYS.

AND YET, WE'RE KIND OF IN THIS THEOLOGIANS FROM MY FIELD WOULD SAY, BLESSED PARADOX WHERE IT'S GOOD WORK, IMPERFECT WORK, BUT YET, HARD WORK.

AND SO I THINK WE NEED TO GAIN THIS PERSPECTIVE THAT GOES BEYOND JUST BEING TRANSPORTATION TOOL.

THIS IS YOU WERE SAYING EARLIER, INFRASTRUCTURE TOOL.

THIS IS COMMUNITY BUILDING TOOL.

THIS IS GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT TOOL.

THAT WE HOPE WILL BE JUST AND EQUITABLE FOR ALL PEOPLE.

>> CAN I JUST SAY, I THINK THAT VIEW OF BEING RATHER SELFISH.

KAILUA, BETWEEN THEM, HAVE 8 LANES.

THREE SETS OF TUNNELS THAT WE ALL PAID WHOLE COMMUNITY PAID.

FOLKS IN WAIANAE TWO LANES.

KAILUA, 8 LANES.

TWO PALI, TWO LIKELIKE, 2 ON H‑3.

ONE EACH DIRECTION KAMEHAMEHA.

8 LANES IN COMMUNITIES.

>> WAIANAE HAS TWO.

I THINK THEY'RE BEING INCREDIBLY SELFISH.

ULTIMATELY, THEIR THING IS THIS IS GENERATIONAL THING.

LOOK AT YOUNG PEOPLE, THEY DO NOT WANTS TO LIVE IN SUBURBS.

THEY DON'T WANT TO DRIVE CARS.

NUMBER OF KIDS BETWEEN THE AGES OF 18 AND 35 WHO HAVE APPLIED FOR DRIVER'S LICENSES IN THE LAST 15 YEARS DROPPED BY MORE THAN 30%.

>> DON'T WANT TO DRIVE CARS.

SO I THINK THAT VIEWPOINT THAT YOU'RE HEARING FROM KANEOHE IS SELFISH.

>>Yunji: WANT TO GET YOUR THOUGHTS ON THAT.

YOU TALKED ABOUT YOU RIDING TRAIN AND ALSO YOUR KIDS RIDING THE TRAIN.

WHAT KIND OF IMPACT DO YOU HOPE THIS HAS FOR THEIR COMMUTE AND THEIR EXPERIENCE LIVING ON OAHU?

>> ECHO LAST TWO SPEAKERS ON GENERATIONAL THING.

FOR OUR KEIKIS.

GRANDKIDS.

GREAT GRANDKIDS.

ALSO TALKING BY GUESS LAST QUESTION CAME FROM KAILUA.

WE LIVE ON AN ISLAND.

TALKED HE SAID ABOUT H‑3.

H‑2, H‑1.

ALL OF THESE INFRASTRUCTURE CONSTRUCTION JOBS TOOK 20 YEARS TO FRUITION.

A LOT OF OPPOSED IT.

NOW, EVERYBODY CAN'T LIVE WITHOUT IT.

SO IT'S HARD FOR US TO JUSTIFY AND SAY, WE DON'T WANT IT.

BUT IT'S FOR OUR KEIKI.

FOR OUR KIDS.

>> I WANT TO, BUILD ON THAT.

I COULD DEFINITELY APPRECIATE THE PERSPECTIVE, ON OTHER SIDE OF ISLAND.

>> FEELS THAT WAY.

TRY TO EVALUATE THAT AGAIN, THIS SYSTEM IS FOR THE NEXT 75, 100 YEARS.

WHEN YOU LOOK AROUND, AT WHERE PEOPLE WANT TO LIVE, AND YOU WANT THIS QUALITY OF LIFE THAT EVERYONE IS TALKING ABOUT, TRANSPORTATION IS ONE ELEMENT OF THAT.

SO IF WE WANT TO BE IN A PLACE THAT HAS A HIGH QUALITY OF LIFE, SOME PLACE THAT IS INNOVATIVE, SUSTAINABLE, AND HAS GOOD ECONOMIC GROWTH, THAT IS GOOD FOR ALL OF THE RESIDENTS AND IN ORDER TO BE THAT, TO THRIVE ON THAT, YOU NEED TO HAVE A VERY STRONG TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM.

WHEN YOU LOOK TO PEERS AND LOOK AROUND THE WORLD,   STRONG TRANSPORTATION SYSTEMS ARE MULTIMODAL.

REACH TO EVERYWHERE THEY NEED TO.

CREATE ACCESS OPPORTUNITIES FOR ALL RESIDENTS.

TO GET THEM TO WHERE THEY NEED TO BE.

REALLY TAKING OPTIMIZING EACH MODE OF TRANSPORTATION.

WHAT WE'RE BUILDING UP TO HERE.

>>Yunji: I WANT TO BRING KIONI HERE.

TALKED ABOUT ACKNOWLEDGE TOP OF YOUR ANSWER THAT WE NEED THE RAIL.

BUT ALSO, YOU HAVE THE VIEWPOINT THAT YOU'RE STILL OPPOSED TO THE RAIL.

I THINK THERE MAY BE OTHERS IN OUR COMMUNITY WHO FEEL THE SAME WAY.

TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT.

>> IT'S THE CORRUPTION FROM THE VERY BEGINNING.

WE HAVE THE OR AND L, OAHU, OLD RAILWAY, THERE'S A 40‑FOOT WIDE RIGHT OF WAY FROM KO OLINA INTO THE CITY.

THAT IS OPEN.

AND WE WERE BEGGING THEM AT THE BEGINNING, PUT RAIL ON THE RIGHT OF WAY THAT'S ALREADY THERE.

ONLY HAS TWO BUILDINGS ON THE WHOLE THING.

>> SITTING THERE WIDE OPEN.

INSTEAD GONE DOWN THE MIDDLE OF AREAS THAT ARE TERRIBLY EXPENSIVE.

YOU KNOW, WHEN WE LOOK BACK AT IT'S BEGINNING, AND THE HO'OPILI CONNECTION WITH RAIL, THERE WAS ALSO SO CROOKED.

MONEY THAT THEY BOUGHT CITY COUNCIL WITH, ONE MEMBER HAD 43% OF HER MONEY IN CAMPAIGN CAME FROM HO'OPILI AND RAIL DONORS.

SHE WAS THE LEAST.

IT WENT HIGHER AND HIGHER AND HIGHER.

72% FOR OUR REPRESENTATIVE OUT IN OUR AREA.

76% FOR RON MENOR.

92% OF THE MONEY THAT ELEFANTE WAS ELECTED WITH CAME FROM DONORS OF THE RAIL.

AND DONORS OF HO'OPILI.

THE WHOLE THING FROM THE VERY BEGINNING JUST, IT JUST WREAKED.

I TOOK THAT TO THE ETHICS COMMISSION.

I WENT TO THEIR MEETINGS FOR 8 MONTHS IN A ROW.

AND FINALLY, THEY SAID, IT'S NOT WITHIN OUR REALM.

YOU KNOW, THIS CROOKS ALL OVER THE PLACE.

>>Yunji: THOSE INDIVIDUALS AREN'T HERE TO DEFEND THEMSELVES.

GIVE THEM THAT DEFENSE, IF YOU WILL, OR AT LEAST ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THEY'RE NOT HERE.

I UNDERSTAND THERE IS A LOT OF SCRUTINY ON THAT PROJECT.

I WANT TO GO BACK TO YOU ON THIS.

THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO HAVE SIMILAR VIEWPOINTS TO KEONE FEEL LIKE THEY'RE NOT REALLY READY TO EMBRACE THIS PROJECT.

WHAT ARE YOU HEARING FROM THE PEOPLE THAT YOU INTERVIEW ABOUT THE PUBLIC SENTIMENT WHEN IT COMES TO RAIL?

>> THERE'S A LOT SCEPTICISM.

YOU HEAR THE COMMENTS THAT ANTHONY ARE MAKING.

VERY VALID.

SEEMS IF I HAD TO SUM IT UP, IT'S THE GENERAL SENSE THAT RAIL IS JUST ALWAYS ON THE HORIZON.

WHEN WE TALK ABOUT TRANSIT ORIENT DEVELOPMENT, ALL OF THESE PLANS, YOU KNOW, IT WAS FRANKLY SAME THING I WAS HEARING TEN YEARS AGO WHEN RAIL WAS GOING TO BE COMPLETED IN 2019 FOR SERVICE IN 2020.

AND WHEN YOU CONSIDER THAT NOW, YOU'RE LOOKING AT A 2031 START DATE, FOR IT TO GET TO THE CIVICS CENTER, THAT IS A LONG TIME.

THAT IS FAMILIES THAT FRANKLY THOUGHT THAT THEY WERE GOING TO HAVE RAIL IN 2020.

JUST THINK HYPOTHETICALLY, SMALL CHILDREN.

THAT ARE GOING TO BE OUT OF THE HOUSEHOLD NOW.

SO THAT, REVEREND TOUCHED ON THIS.

TALKING ABOUT THE PROMISE FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS.

BUT I THINK WHEN I TALKING TO PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY, IT'S THE SENSE OF THAT PROMISE LOST FOR THOSE WHO WERE IN THE HERE AND NOW.

TRYING TO GET BY PRESENT DAY.

I THINK THAT IS REALLY TOUCHES TO SOME OF THE EROSION OF THE PUBLIC TRUST ON THE PROJECT.

>>Yunji: LET'S TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT.

LOOK FORWARD TO MIDDLE STREET.

OPENING.

HOPEFULLY BY 2025.

AND THEN THE FULL SYSTEM BY 2031.

DO YOU THINK THAT THIS PROJECT WILL BE ON TARGET TO ACTUALLY MEET THOSE GOALS AND THOSE DEADLINES?

>> SO THE LAST 2 OR 3 CONTRACTS WE'VE LET COME IN UNDER BUDGET.

LAST CONTRACT WE LET HALF A BILLION DOLLARS.

CAME IN 3% UNDER BUDGET.

WE HAVE ABOUT A BILLION DOLLARS IN OUR CONTINGENCY FUND.

REVENUES COMING FROM G.E.T.

AND T.A.T.

HIGHER THAN WE ANTICIPATED.

PERSONALLY, I CAN'T SAY THAT IS FEELING OF BOARD YET, WE HAVEN'T REALLY HAD THESE CONVERSATIONS I THINK WE WILL HAVE ENOUGH MONEY TO GET TO ALA MOANA WITH WHAT WE'VE GOT COMING IN NOW.

WE KEEP LID ON THE COSTS.

ONE MAJOR SHOE LEFT TO DROP.

CONTRACT TO BUILD THE ACTUAL GUIDEWAY IN THE CITY CENTER.

IF THAT COMES IN, CLOSE TO BUDGET, I'M VERY CONFIDENT THAT WE WILL ACTUALLY, DEFINITELY BE ABLE TO DO ONE MORE STATION BEYOND CIVIC CENTER.

PERSONALLY DECENT CHANCE OF GETTING TO ALA MOANA.

THIS CONVERSATION RAISES A LARGER POINT.

WE LIKE TO BEAT OURSELF UP HERE IN HAWAII.

QUITE RIGHTLY.

WE HAVE A VERY WELL INFORMED ELECTORATE AND ASTONISHING LEVEL OF ACTIVISM IN THIS STATE.

IT'S GREAT.

ONE OF THE THINGS I LOVE ABOUT THIS STATE.

BUT I LOST THE THREAD WHAT I WAS GOING TO SAY.

>>Yunji: SCEPTICISM AND ENGAGEMENT.

WHAT YOU APPRECIATE.

>> I ACTUALLY DON'T WANT TO TALK ABOUT HAWAII BECAUSE I ACTUALLY THINK THIS IS NATIONAL PROBLEM.

FOR MY POINT OF VIEW, VERY SERIOUS NATIONAL PROBLEM.

AS A NATION WE HAVE TO DO A HUGE AMOUNT OF CONSTRUCTION IN THE NEXT 30 YEARS.

IF WE'RE GOING TO DECARBONIZE OUR ECONOMY, IF WE DON'T, FUTURE LOOKS VERY GRIM FOR US.

WE HAVE TO TRIPLE THE SIZE OF NATIONAL GRID.

AMOUNT OF DEVELOPMENT WE HAVE TO DO HAS TO BE DONE FAST.

AT THE MOMENT, BIG DIG IN BOSTON.

ORIGINALLY ESTIMATED 2.56 BILLION.

COST PEOPLE FINISH PAYING OFF BONDS 2058, LATER THAN HAWAII.

$22 BILLION.

EAST SIDE ACCESS PROJECT TO GRAND CENTRAL PROJECT.

LET CONTRACT 2006 FOR $2.1 MILLION.

SUPPOSED TO BE COMPLETED 2011.

OPENED IT COUPLE MONTHS AGO.

11.1 BILLION WAS THE PRICE TAG.

THIS IS A PROBLEM ALL ACROSS THE COUNTRY.

PART OF THE PROBLEM OF MY TRIBE.

UPPER MIDDLE CLASS.

>> EDUCATED ENVIRONMENTALISTS WHO OPPOSE DEVELOPMENT.

I KNOW THIS SOUNDS PERHAPS A LITTLE MELODRAMATIC PUTTING FUTURE OF CIVILIZATION AT RISK.

>> WE NEED TO COME UP WITH A WAY OF BUILDING THESE HUGE DEVELOPMENTS THAT WE NEED.

WE HAVE TO BUILD, PARTS OF COASTLINE HAVE TO BE ARMORED.

WE'RE RETREATING IN SOME PLACES.

>> SOME PLACES, WE'LL ARMOR.

ARMOR KAKAAKO.

CAN'T DO THAT.

CALIFORNIA HIGH SPEED RAIL STARTED AT 30 BILLION.

THEY'RE AT 80 BILLION NOW.

>>YUNJI: NONE OF THOSE EXAMPLES GIVE ME FAITH.

>> I LIKE TO MENTION ABOUT THAT I KNOW IT'S SLIGHTLY DISAPPOINTMENT THAT THE ENTIRE SYSTEM IS NOT BEING DELIVER ALL AT ONCE.

BUT IT DOES GIVE US AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THE LAST SEGMENT BECAUSE WE HAVE LEARNED A LOT.

THERE'S BEEN A LOT LEARNED.

NOT JUST INWARD FACING FROM AN ORGANIZATIONAL PERSPECTIVE, OR OWNER'S PERSPECTIVE, ALSO FROM AN INDUSTRY PERSPECTIVE.

FOR THOSE WHO ARE ACTUALLY DELIVERING THE WORK.

SO THAT FEEDS INTO THE HIGHER LEVEL OF CONFIDENCE, INTO THE SCHEDULE.

THE BETTER PRICING BECAUSE THERE'S NOT AS MUCH RISK PRICED INTO THE WORK.

BECAUSE EVERYBODY HAS LEARNED.

SO IT IS, YOU CAN'T HELP BUT BE DISAPPOINTED IF THE WHOLE PROJECT ISN'T DELIVERED AT ONCE.

ONE POSITIVE NOTE ABOUT THAT IS HIGHER LEVELS OF CONFIDENCE WITH SCOPE, SCHEDULE AND BUDGET.

DEFINITELY GOING INTO THE LAST SEGMENT.

>> IS THERE A WAY THAT WE CAN GET FROM 2025 TO SOONER WHEN IT COMES TO AIRPORT AND MAKALAPA?

RIGHT NOW, WE HAVE TO WAIT UNTIL 2025 TO ACTUALLY BE ABLE TO USE THE RAIL TO AIRPORT.

WE AS WE ALL KNOW, MIDDLE STREET SIGNIFICANTLY FARTHER PAST THE AIRPORT THAN, SO I DON'T UNDERSTAND.

IS THERE A WAY WE CAN GET TO THE POINT WHERE COULD OPEN THOSE TWO STATIONS EARLIER THAN 2025?

OR DO WE HAVE TO WAIT UNTIL MIDDLE STREET IS COMPLETED?

YOU GUYS ANSWER THAT QUESTION FOR US?

>> I GUESS THE WAY THAT I WOULD ANSWER IT IS THERE'S ALWAYS POSSIBILITIES TO DO THINGS DIFFERENTLY.

THERE MAY BE ADDITIONAL COST ASSOCIATED WITH THAT.

AND I'LL JUST USE BRIEF EXAMPLE.

BEFORE YOU OPEN ANY SYSTEM THERE HAS TO BE A HIGH LEVEL OF TESTING ASSOCIATED WITH THAT CERTIFICATION.

YOU WOULD ACTUALLY HAVE TO UNDERTAKE THAT TWICE.

FOR THAT SAME SEGMENT DOESN'T MEAN IT'S IMPOSSIBLE.

ALWAYS INTERESTING TO LOOK AT THE SCHEDULE ALTERNATIVE WAYS TO DELIVER THAT.

SEE IF PORTIONS CAN MOVE FORWARD OR NOT.

I DON'T THINK ANYONE HAS COME TO THE CONCLUSION, AFFIRMATIVE CONCLUSION.

BUT I KNOW IT'S BEING LOOKED AT.

>> QUESTION I OPPOSE TO MY HART REPRESENTATIVE.

GET TO THE AIRPORT EARLIER.

PROMISED UNDER DELIVERED.

MANAGEMENT IS NOT PROMISING NOT OVERPROMISING ANYTHING.

WORK HARD.

WORKING VERY WELL.

FOR FIRST HART WAS A MESS.

COMPLETE MESS.

NOW, IT IS WORKING WELL.

THESE GUYS ARE WORKING WELL.

BOARD IS WORKING WELL.

>>Yunji: I WANT TO BRING IN A QUESTION HERE.

>> GOES TO YOU PATRICK.

I HEARD THAT AS WELL.

I'M CONCERNED THAT THE HOMELESS WILL USE THE RAIL AS DAY CARE CENTERS, COLD, NICE AND CLEAN.

THERE'S NO ATTENDANT.

HOW IS THIS GOING TO BE AVOIDED?

WHAT ARE YOUR CONCERNS ABOUT PEOPLE STAYING ON THE TRAIN PERHAPS A LITTLE BIT TOO LONG?

MENTIONED SOME THINGS EVERYONE MAY NOT BE AWARE.

UNATTENDED DRIVERLESS, WE DO HAVE STAFF ON THE SYSTEM EVERY STATION, STATION OPERATOR, TRAIN OPERATORS.

SEE THEM ON BOARD EVERY OTHER TRAIN.

PRIMARILY THEY'RE THERE TO OFFER CUSTOMER INFORMATION.

CUSTOMER SERVICE.

AND THEN TROUBLESHOOT ANY FAULTS THERE MAY BE ON THE SYSTEM.

IN ADDITION TO THAT, LEVEL 2 SECURITY VARIOUS LOCATIONS THROUGHOUT THE SYSTEM.

THEY ARE ENFORCING OUR CODE OF CONDUCT.

SO THE RAIL SYSTEM IN GENERAL IS WHAT WE CALL CLOSED SYSTEM.

YOU NEED FARE TO GET IN.

AND YOU NEED FARE TO GET OUT ‑‑ BASICALLY TO TAP IN AND TAP OUT OF THE SYSTEM.

AND YOU HAVE TO HAVE A DESTINATION.

SO THE WAY THE SYSTEM IS DESIGNED, AND THE CODE OF CONDUCT, NOT INTENDED FOR ANYONE TO SIMPLY BE IN THE SYSTEM OR ABOUT THE SYSTEM WITHOUT A DESTINATION.

>>Yunji: CONSTRUCTION MOVES CLOSER TO TOWN, WE ALL ARE EXPERIENCING THE DISRUPTIONS ALONG DILLINGHAM.

I WANT TO HEAR FROM LARRY WHAT THE IMPACTS OF TRAFFIC AND CONSTRUCTION ITSELF WERE LIKE FOR YOUR COMMUNITY AND IF YOU HAVE RECOVERED SINCE THEN.

>> IT WAS MAJOR IMPACT.

ESPECIALLY TO THE SMALLER BUSINESSES.

JUST SO HAPPENED LAST TUESDAY, BECAUSE WE THOUGHT ABOUT DURING THE PANDEMIC, WE RECOGNIZED GYOTAKU AND PAESANO STAYING OPEN.

A LOT OF BUSINESS CLOSED DOWN.

>> PANDEMIC AND RAIL IMPACTED BOTH OF THEM.

I REALLY SEE DOWN THE ROAD WE CAN GET THIS FIXED.

HAVE TO PUT FOCUS ON IT.

LIKE STEVE SAID WHILE AGO, WE NEED THESE U‑TURNS PUT BACK INTO PLACE.

BECAUSE THOSE SMALL BUSINESSES ARE HURTING.

BUT MY EARS ARE WIDE OPEN FROM OUR BOARD TO MAKE SURE WHEN THEY'VE GOT PROBLEMS, WE GET THAT TO HART.

WE HAVE HART EVERY ONE OF OUR BOARD MEETINGS.

VERY POSITIVE.

KEEPING US UPDATED.

I WANTED TO MENTION CITY BOUGHT BANANA PATCH AREA WHERE THE GARAGE WAS SUPPOSED TO BE.

LONGER WE WAIT FOR PARKING GARAGE TO GO UP, IDEAS TO PUT HIGHRISE BUILDINGS IN THOSE AREAS.

CITY ALREADY PURCHASED IT.

FAMILIES HAD TO MOVE OUT AND IT'S VACANT NOW.

I AM AREALLY THINKING THAT WE MIGHT LOSE THAT OPPORTUNITIES AND HAVE TO RESULT TO SOMETHING ELSE.

NOT BEING ABLE TO TAKE A LEFT TURN LONG TIME.

WHAT ARE YOU HEARING FROM FOLKS?

NOT YOUR DISTRICTS.

>> SHARE DILLINGHAM WITH COUNCILMEMBER CORDERO AND THE BUSINESSES HAVE BEEN VERY VOCAL ABOUT THEIR CONCERNS.

RIGHT NOW, WE'RE DOING UTILITY WORK THERE.

DISRUPTIVE.

COLUMN STARTS GOING, THAT'S GOING BE TO BE EVEN BIGGER CHALLENGE.

TOMORROW ACTUALLY, INTRODUCING BILL THAT IS GOING TO BE PUTTING ASKING DEPARTMENT TO PUT ON SOME RULES AROUND HOW THESE TRANSIT MITIGATION FUND.

LEARNED OUR LESSON.

>> I HOPED WE LEARNED OUR LESSON FROM WAIPAHU AND AIEA.

BUSINESSES SUFFERED.

>> I DON'T WANT TO SEE BUSINESSES DILLINGHAM TO SUFFER.

NEED TO LEARN OUR LESSONS.

PROCUREMENT ISSUES THAT LED US TO DELAYS AN OTHER THINGS.

>> WE NEED TO LEARN OUR LESSONS COME INTO TOWN, THINGS GET MORE COMPLICATED.

PUT FORTH THE BILL.

PUSHING FOR SOME SORT OF MECHANISM WHERE WE CAN HELP THESE BUSINESSES SURVIVE CONSTRUCTION.

AFTERWARDS THRIVE HOPEFULLY WITH NEW RIDERSHIP.

NEW PATRONS COMING IN FROM THE WEST SIDE INTO TOWN.

LEARN THOSE LESSONS AND APPLY THEM.

>>Yunji: RICHARD HEAR FROM YOU.

WHAT THAT EXPERIENCE WAS LIKE FOR OUR COMMUNITY.

WHAT YOU WITH HOPE WOULD BE DIFFERENT FOR FOLKS DOWN THE LINE.

ANY COMMUNITY RAIL IS GOING TO GO THROUGH, EXPERIENCE SAME PROBLEMS IN TERMS OF CONGESTION, AND DISRUPTION THAT IT HAS ON ALL OF THE COMMUNITY AND THE BUSINESSES ALONG THE RAIL ROUTE.

BEST THING I CAN SAY ABOUT RAIL COMING THROUGH OUR COMMUNITIES THAT'S TEMPORARY.

QUICKER THEY CAN GET IN AND OUT, THE BETTER.

AS LONG AS HART KEEPS THE PRESSURE ON TO KEEP MOVING, WITHOUT DELAY, THEN THAT IS THE BEST WE CAN DO AT THIS POINT.

ONE THING I WOULD ADD, TO THE QUESTION ABOUT WHAT RAIL IS GOING TO DO FOR OTHERS ON THE ISLAND, ONE OF THE THINGS WE OFTEN FORGET IS REASON WE STARTED RAIL IS BECAUSE OF COMPLAINTS ABOUT CONGESTION ON THE ROADWAYS.

ON THE FREEWAY.

MAXED OUT.

STILL IS.

NOT GETTING ANY BETTER.

THE REASON THAT IS HAPPENED IS BECAUSE IT'S BY STATE AND CITY POLICY THAT DIRECTED ALL OF THE GROWTH TO THE WEST SIDE.

IN WAIPAHU, IN KUNIA, EWA, MAKAKILO, KAPOLEI, AND CENTRAL OAHU.

MILILANI, KOA RIDGE.

ALL DEVELOPMENTS ON THE WEST SIDE.

SO ONLY RELIEF OR ALTERNATIVE TO THE PROBLEM THAT WE ARE HAVING WITH TRANSPORTATION WAS RAIL.

MAY NOT SOLVE ALL THE PROBLEMS.

I'M SURE IT WON'T.

DOESN'T LOOK THAT WAY NOW BECAUSE UNFISHED.

>> STILL GOING TO WAIT FOR A LONG TIME.

IT'S UNFINISHED.

REMEMBER THAT.

OTHER SPEAKER FROM HART WINDWARD SIDE HAS THREE TUNNELS.

THAT PEOPLE CAN TRAVEL ON.

OTHER THING THERE HAS BEEN NO DEVELOPMENT IN THOSE AREAS IN EAST HONOLULU, IN ON WINDWARD SIDE, NORTH SHORE AREA.

A LOT OF TIMES WE HEAR THE SAYING, KEEP THE COUNTRY COUNTRY.

WE GOT TO ASK FOR WHO?

KIDS CAN'T AFFORD HOME ON NORTH SHORE OR WINDWARD SIDE.

HIGHER THAN WHAT YOU PAY ON THE WEST SIDE NEWER DEVELOPMENTS.

YOU KNOW, WITH ALL OF THIS AFFORDABLE HOUSING THAT WE EXPECT TO SEE ON THE HONOLULU RAIL LINE, WHERE DO YOU THINK ALL NEW DEVELOPMENTS ARE GOING TO HAPPEN.

IN THE SAME COMMUNITIES WHERE WE'VE HAD ALL OF THE DEVELOPMENT, WEST SIDE, PEARL CITY AND KALIHI.

TRANSFORM ALL OF THOSE COMMUNITIES ALONG THE RAIL ROUTE IN THOSE AREAS.

>>Yunji: LET'S TALK ABOUT THAT.

ARE WE ASKING CERTAIN COMMUNITIES TO BEAR TOO MUCH OF A BURDEN HERE?

>> I THINK WE ALREADY HAVE.

WE AS RICHARD SAID, WE DIRECTED ALL OF THIS GROWTH OUT TO THE WEST SIDE.

KIONI MENTIONED, 76,000 CARS POTENTIALLY.

AND YET WE DID NOT PROVIDE UNTIL NOW, THAT ALTERNATIVE.

AND SO AS WE THINK FORWARD, AS WE GET THE RAIL INTO TOWN, AS T.O.D.

PROJECTS START COMING UP, THIS IS PART OF THE CONVERSATION.

RAIL IS NOT THE END ALL AND BE ALL OF IT.

WE HAVE TO ALSO TALK ABOUT THE BUS ROUTES OF THE GET PEOPLE TO THERE.

MAKE IT EASY FOR PEOPLE TO ACCESS THIS.

SO THEY DON'T NEED TO RELY ON CARS.

MUCH BIGGER CONVERSATION.

IT'S NOT ONE THAT IS WE'RE GOING TO SOLVE OVERNIGHT.

TEN YEARS FROM NOW, 20 YEARS FROM NOW, HONOLULU IS MUCH BETTER OFF WITH RAIL THAN WE WOULD BE WITHOUT IT.

AND I SAY THAT AS SOMEBODY USES PUBLIC TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT CENTER.

NOT ALL THE TIME.

I STILL HAVE A CAR.

DRIVE IT AROUND.

DROVE IT HERE TO THE STUDIO.

EARLIER TODAY, GO GET LUNCH, HOPPED ON THE BUS.

SO MUCH EASIER THAN TAKING MY CAR, PARKING REPARKING SOMEWHERE ELSE.

PICK SOMETHING UP.

MUCH EASIER.

>>Yunji: WHAT IS GOING TO CHANGE YOUR MIND ON THAT WHOLE EQUATION THAT HONOLULU IS BETTER OFF WITH THE RAIL THAN WITHOUT IT?

ARE YOU AT THAT POINT YET.

>> >> I PASSED THAT POINT.

I DO THINK WE'RE BETTER OFF WITH THE RAIL.

AND LIKE I SAID AT THE BEGINNING, REALLY STRONG SUPPORT PEOPLE RIDING THE RAIL.

BECAUSE WE NEED THAT.

WE'RE DESPERATE FOR IT.

AND GETTING MORE DESPERATE.

I THINK THAT MY FEELING THOUGH IS PERSONALLY, YOU KNOW, YOU ARE WHAT THE COMPANY YOU KEEP IS.

AND IF YOU SMOTHER YOURSELF WITH PEOPLE THAT ARE CORRUPT, YOU KIND OF BRING THAT ON YOURSELF.

AND I JUST ADMIRE ANTHONY AND HE'S DONE SO MUCH IN LIFE AND NOW, HE'S ON HART AND FIGHTING FOR US.

AND I DO THINK THERE ARE GOOD PEOPLE ON HART.

>> I DON'T WANT PERSONALLY TO BE CONNECTED WITH ALL OF THE CORRUPTION THAT I'VE SEEN BECAUSE IT IS JUST TOO, TOO, TOO MUCH.

>>Yunji: YOU BRING IN SOME QUESTIONS.

THESE ARE NUTS AND BOLTS FROM FOLKS.

ANSWERED WHEN PEOPLE START TO RIDE.

GET 'FEW OF THESE IN.

STOP SPEED OF RAIL?

BICYCLE FROM THE STREET LEVEL UP TO THE TRAIN ITSELF?

NOT ALL STATIONS SEEM ACCESSIBLE.

ELEVATE ACCESS WALKWAY TO RAIL ENTRY ENOUGH TIME TO ALLOW PEOPLE TO SETTLE INTO THEIR SEATS FOR EXAMPLE, A PERSON ON CRUTCHES OR USING A WALKER.

SPEED, WAIKELE SHOPPING CENTER AND LAG TIME WHEN YOU BOARD AND TAKE A SEAT.

>> TOP SPEED MAXIMUM SPEED IS 55 MILES PER HOUR.

WE DO, CERTAINLY ALLOW FOR BIKES AND ENCOURAGE FOLKS TO BRING THEIR BIKES ON BOARD.

THERE ARE ELEVATORS AT EVERY STATION.

ALSO HAVE TREAD GUIDES ON OUR STAIRWELLS.

WALK YOUR BIKES UP THE STAIRS YOU CAN.

POPULAR CITIES AND BIKE CHOOSE TO USE THOSE.

HOW YOU STORE THOSE ON THE TRAIN.

TWO BIKE SETS IN THE TWO MIDDLE CARS EVERY TRAIN.

REALLY EASY TO USE.

BASICALLY JUST PULL THE FRONT WHEEL UP, CLIP IT ON, AND STAYS SECURE THAT AREA.

ALSO HAVE THE OPTION IF YOU SO CHOOSE, TO JUST STAND AND HAVE THE BIKE IN YOUR POSSESSION AND HOLD ON TO ONE OF THE STANCHIONS OR STRAPS.

REALLY KIND OF UP TO YOU.

HOLD ON.

EXPECT STATIONS.

ONE ELEVATOR, ONE ESCALATOR, REST IS STAIRS.

STAIRS ARE REALLY STEEP.

FAIRLY STEEP ACTUALLY.

SO IF A PERSON IS USING A BIKE, THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE USE THE ELEVATOR.

HONESTLY, I CAN'T IMAGINE TAKING A BIKE UP THOSE STAIRS.

CAN'T SEE SOMEBODY ACTUALLY DOING THIS.

LEADS TO THE TOPIC ABOUT FACILITIES.

AT LEAST HALAWA STATION, BATHROOM.

I DON'T KNOW IF ANY OTHER STATIONS HAVE BATHROOMS OR NOT.

I DID VIEW THE BATHROOM AT THE HALAWA STATION.

IT'S GOT METAL FIXTURES IN THERE.

GOT A CHANGING TABLE.

EVEN THOUGH I WAS TOLD ONLY FOR EMPLOYEES.

I CAN'T IMAGINE EMPLOYEE ACTUALLY CHANGING USING A CHANGING TABLE.

CHILD'S CHANGING TABLE.

BADGE IN.

WHAT I WAS TOLD WAS IF THERE'S AN EMERGENCY, FOR SOMEBODY HAS TO USE THE BATHROOM, GET A HOLD OF THE EMPLOYEE AND BADGE THEM IN.

EXPECTING 8,000 PEOPLE TO RIDE THIS DAILY A LOT OF PEOPLE ASKING EMPLOYEE TO OPEN UP A RESTROOM FOR THEM.

THINK THERE NEEDS TO BE A SOLUTION TO THAT.

AT SOME FORM.

STOP STATIONS HAVE BATHROOMS.

SOME DON'T.

BADGE IN WITH HOLO CARD.

TO BE ABLE TO ACCESS THAT BATHROOM.

THERE HAS TO BE A SOLUTION TO THAT.

DON'T SEE EMPLOYEES DOING IT.

>>Yunji: HEAR FROM YOU BATHROOM SITUATION.

VAST MAJORITY AS FAR AS I KNOW PUBLIC TRANSIT SYSTEMS THROUGHOUT OUR COUNTRY DON'T NECESSARILY HAVE RESTROOMS.

BUS STOPS DON'T HAVE BATHROOMS.

WHAT ARE YOU HEARING AND COULD THERE BE SOME ADAPTATIONS TO ALLOW FOR SOME RESTROOMS.

>> SURE.

BEFORE I GET TO THAT, ADDRESS THE BIKE ELEMENTS.

SOME OF THE STATIONS DO HAVE TWO ELEVATORS.

GOOD THING IS THAT OUR ELEVATORS ARE QUITE OVERSIZED.

EVEN IF YOU ARE BRINGING A BIKE INTO THE ELEVATOR, YOU SHOULD BE QUITE COMFORTABLE, ACTUALLY BE ABLE TO ACCOMMODATE ADDITIONAL PASSENGERS IN THERE WITH YOU AND YOUR BICYCLE.

AND I DO AGREE.

EVERYONE MAY NOT USE THE STAIR TREADS TO GET BIKE UP THERE.

A LOT OF STAIRS.

EVEN JUST THE OTHER DAY, SEEING WITNESS SOMEONE DO THAT FIRSTHAND, OPTION FOR THOSE WHO WANT TO DO THAT AND GET THAT EXTRA EXERCISE.

AS FAR AS BATHROOM GOES, NO DIFFERENT THAN SOME OF THE RESTAURANTS THAT YOU GO TO TODAY.

THE DESIGN FOR THE SYSTEM IS ALWAYS BEEN SECURED ACCESS WHICH WAS WHAT WAS DESCRIBED BEFORE.

AND YOU'RE ABSOLUTELY RIGHT.

A LOT OF TRANSIT SYSTEMS DO NOT HAVE BATHROOMS.

WE DEFINITELY VALUE OUR CUSTOMERS.

URGENT SITUATION AS I MENTIONED EARLIER, WE DO HAVE STATION OPERATORS AT ALL STATIONS.

PLEASE FOLLOW UP AND SPEAK TO THEM ABOUT GETTING ACCESS TO THE RESTROOM.

MORE IMPORTANTLY, WE WANT IT TO BE SAFE.

WE WANT SAFE SYSTEM.

THAT'S WHY THE SYSTEM IS DESIGNED THE WAY IT IS WITH CONTROLLED ACCESS.

I THINK MANY OF SEEN ON NEWS OR HEARD DESTRUCTIVE ACTS HAPPENED IN BATHROOM, IT'S NOT CONTROLLED ACCESS.

LEAVE EVERYBODY WITH IF THERE'S AN URGENT SITUATION PLEASE FIND AN EMPLOYEE AND SPEAK TO THEM.

GLAD TO HELP YOU OUT.

AT THE SAME TIME, WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THE SYSTEM STAYS SAFE AND WE DON'T HAVE ANYTHING THAT IS NOT SUPPOSED TO HAPPEN IN A BATHROOM HAPPEN.

>> WHAT DO PEOPLE DO TODAY?

THEY'RE RIDING EXPRESS BUS KAPOLEI, NO RESTROOM ON THE BUS.

NOT QUITE SURE WHY THIS IS SUDDENLY BECOME KEY ISSUE BETWEEN PEOPLE.

FAIRLY SHORT RIDE.

DON'T THINK WE'RE PREDICTING HOARDS OF PEOPLE ARRIVING AT THE STATION AND NEEDING TO USE THE BATHROOM.

TRAVEL TIME BETWEEN STATION ON AVERAGE 2 TO 3 MINUTES.

TYPE OF SYSTEM, GET IN AND GET OUT.

GET TO YOUR, TALKED EARLIER ABOUT IT BEING JUST OVER 22 MINUTES EAST KAPOLEI TO ALOHA STADIUM.

MAJORITY OF FOLKS ARE NOT GOING TO BE ON THE SYSTEM LONG ENOUGH TO USE THE RESTROOMS.

>>Yunji: YOU WANTED TO WEIGH IN.

>> I THINK IT'S A JOKE.

I THINK IT'S CRIMINAL.

I THINK BUILDING A RAIL SYSTEM WITHOUT BATHROOMS FOR PEOPLE TO USE IS JUST CRIMINAL.

THERE IS THE KIND OF CORRUPT THINKING THAT ‑‑ NOTHING TO DO WITH CORRUPTION.

>> IT IS.

IDEA, PEOPLE OF HAWAII NEED TO BE TREATED LIKE PEOPLE.

YOU KNOW, OUR SAFE WAY IN KAPOLEI HAS A BATHROOM.

IT'S ONE OF THE FEW THAT IS REALLY OPEN.

THERE IS NO PROBLEM WITH THAT BATHROOM.

SURE, THERE'S SOMEBODY KILLED SOMEWHERE IN THE UNITED STATES ONCE A MONTH OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.

FOR CRYING OUT LOUD, WE OUGHT TO HAVE PUBLIC BATHROOMS.

PEOPLE ARE GOING TO BE BATHROOM ON THE TRAIN, WALKWAYS, ON THE STAIRWAYS.

WE'RE JUST ASKING FOR IT.

LET'S GET WISE AND START DOING THINGS NORMAL.

>>Yunji: WE'VE GOT ABOUT 15 MINUTES LEFT.

I WANT TO SHIFT THE CONVERSATION IF I COULD AND ANTHONY, YOU TALKED ABOUT PERHAPS HAVING SPUR GOING TO MILILANI OR CLOSE TO IT.

CONVERSATIONS WITHOUT THE RAIL OF COURSE GOING AS FAR AS U.H.

AND MAYBE EVEN BEYOND.

WHEN DO YOU THINK THIS PROJECT WILL ACTUALLY BE FINISHED?

WILL THERE BE EVER A DAY WE'RE NOT WORKING ON EXTENDING RAIL?

>> ONCE WE'VE GOT TO HAWAII KAI, WAIANAE, MILILANI, I'M NOT SURE ABOUT HALEIWA.

I'VE EVEN HEARD PEOPLE TALKING ABOUT PUNCHING YET ANOTHER TUNNEL THROUGH THE KO'OLAU TO GET TO KAILUA.

THE QUITE POSSIBLE THAT SYSTEM COULD CONTINUE TO EXPAND FOR DECADES.

OBVIOUSLY PART OF IT GOT TO DO WITH MONEY.

CAN WE AFFORD IT.

PERSONALLY I THINK THIS INVESTMENT IS VITAL.

PEOPLE TEND TO FORGET HOW MUCH OF A BUDGETS GO ON TRANSPORTATION.

IF THIRD MOST SIGNIFICANT ITEM IN THE BUDGET OF PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN HAWAII.

WE SPEND WAY TOO MUCH ON HOUSING.

42% OF OUR INCOME ON HOUSE.

15% ON FOOD.

14% ON TRANSPORTATION.

TRANSPORTATION WE SPEND AS MUCH ON TRANSPORTATION AS WE DO ON HEALTH CARE, EDUCATION, CLOTHING AND ENTERTAINMENT COMBINED CITY AND STATE BETWEEN THEM SPEND MORE THAN A THIRD OF BILLION DOLLARS EVERY YEAR ON ROADS.

IF WE HADN'T BUILT THE RAIL LINE, WE WERE LOOKING HAVING TO PUT EXTRA LANE ON H‑1 AND POSSIBLY H‑2.

THE COST OF THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN BILLIONS.

SO PEOPLE SEEM TO TALK ABOUT DOING, OR IF WE HADN'T DONE HART, THINK OF ALL THINGS WE COULD HAVE DONE WITH THAT MONEY.

WHAT WE WOULD HAVE DONE, SPENT THAT MONEY ON TRANSPORTATION IN SOME OTHER WAY WITHOUT PRODUCING INCREDIBLE BENEFITS OF CHANGING OUR DEVELOPMENT.

I DON'T BUY IT.

>>Yunji: THAT MEANS YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE A JOB FOREVER.

REPORTING ON RAIL FOR A DECADE.

DECADES MORE.

WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON THAT?

DO YOU THINK THERE IS AN END DATE TO THIS PROJECT?

>> YEAH.

YOU KNOW, TO ANTHONY'S POINT, I HEAR THAT ALL THE TIME TOO.

THINK OF ALL WE COULD HAVE SPENT.

I TOTALLY UNDERSTAND.

VALID POINT.

CONCERN THOUGH IS ALWAYS THE COST ESCALATION.

IT'S NOT SO MUCH THINK OF WHAT WE COULD HAVE, IT'S THE EXTRA 5 BILLION, PROJECT AT THIS POINT IS MORE THAN 100% OVER THE ORIGINAL BUDGET FROM 2012.

REALLY THINK OF THE MONEY THAT WE COULD BE SPENDING ON IT.

I'M COVERING MORE ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES.

JUST THIS WEEK.

YOU HAD SECRETARY OF INTERIOR DEB HOLLAND, CELEBRATING $15 MILLION TO HELP PROTECT NATIVE FORESTS BIRDS.

I IMMEDIATELY THOUGHT TO HART, THAT IS, IT BECOMES MONOPOLY MONEY.

ALMOST TO A CERTAIN EXTENT WHEN YOU COVER THIS PROJECT FOR SO LONG.

AND YOU SEE THAT THE CHANGE ORDERS AND THINGS LIKE THAT.

SO YOU KNOW, I THINK ANTHONY IS MAKING SOME SOUND POINTS.

REAL INVESTMENT HAS DOMINO EFFECTS AND POSITIVE BENEFITS.

CONCERN IS SOME SOMEBODY FOLLOWED THIS, COST INCREASES, ORIGINAL BUDGET VERSUS THE MANY BILLIONS MORE THAT WE ULTIMATELY WIND UP WITH.

IF YOU CAN AVOID THAT, KIND OF PROMISES KEPT, PROMISES DELIVERED, THAT MIGHT BE A DIFFERENT SITUATION.

WE HAVE JUST FINISHED BUILDING THE MOST, HAVEN'T FINISHED BUILDING.

BY THE TIME WE GET TO KAKAAKO AND HOPEFULLY ALA MOANA, WE WILL HAVE COMPLETED THE MOST DIFFICULT COMPLICATED EXPENSIVE PART OF SYSTEM.

ADD ON TO IT AFTER THAT, FOR EXAMPLE WHEN I MENTIONED KA'UKA BOULEVARD, I'M SUGGESTING WHICH DO IT AT GRADE.

ALONG KAMEHAMEHA HIGHWAY.

DEFER COST BUILDING TO BUILD 35 FEET UP IN   THE AIR.

DOABLE.

ONE CONCERN I HEAR FROM PEOPLE, IDEA CONTINUING TO USE G.E.T.

FUNDS TO PAY FOR THIS, IS THAT G.E.T.

IS REGRESSIVE TAX.

ABSOLUTELY IS.

IF THE G.E.T.

SURCHARGE IS EVERY EXTENDED TO CONTINUE EXPANDING RAIL SYSTEM, I TELL YOU I'LL BE OUT THERE ADVOCATING THAT WE TAKE THE FIRST 10, 15% OF ALL REFERRAL KNEW WE RECEIVE THROUGH THE G.E.T.

AND DISTRIBUTE IT BACK TO THE POOREST PEOPLE IN THE STATE.

A.L.I.C.E.

PEOPLE, SYSTEM BEING BUILT FOR IN THE FIRST PLACE.

WAYS WE CAN DEAL WITH THE FACT THAT'S REGRESSIVE TAX.

>>Yunji: LARRY I WANT TO BRING YOU IN.

WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ABOUT HAVING THOSE KINDS OF EXTENSIONS THAT WOULD DEFINITELY IMPACT FOR YOU?

>> DEFINITELY SUPPORT OF AT GRADE.

AND WHEN I MAKE MY TRIPS UP TO COSTCO, LOOK AT THE TRAFFIC SITUATION, I REALLY THINK THAT RIGHT NOW, H‑2 COULD MANAGE IF YOU BROUGHT IN UP THROUGH THE CENTER, OF BOTH DIRECTIONS, H‑2, YOU COULD BRING THAT UP TO MILILANI.

BUT I AGREE, I THINK COST IS MUCH LESS AND I WANT SAY MENTION, YEARS BACK I HAD MENTIONED, VERY BEGINNING, LOOKING AT WHERE THE MOST EXPENSIVE PART OF THE COST WAS GOING TO BE FOR RAIL, WE KNEW IT WAS GOING TO BE DOWN DILLINGHAM.

WHY AREN'T WE GOING DEEP?

EVERY OTHER MAJOR CITY HAS TUNNELS.

TRAVELED ALL OVER ASIA LAST 53 YEARS.

BEST TRANSPORTATION SYSTEMS I SAW IN TOKYO, AUSTRALIA AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, SINGAPORE.

SINGAPORE SAME SIZE AS OAHU.

THEY HAVE 10 MILLION PEOPLE.

FULLY INTEGRATED TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM.

WITH TAX IS BUSSES AND RAIL IS ALL UNDERGROUND.

TAXIS AND BUS.

PEOPLE SAY YOU CAN'T GO DOWN DEEP.

SCREW UP THE WATER TABLE.

LOOK AT HOW TOKYO BUILT AQUA LINE.

FIVE MILES UNDERNEATH TOKYO BAY.

WE COULD HAVE SAVED A LOT OF MONEY IF WE WENT DEEP.

FACE OF PEARL CITY CHANGED.

MONSTROSITY RUNNING DOWN KAMEHAMEHA HIGHWAY.

WHY DIDN'T WE BUILT IT ON THE BIKE PATH.

SERVICE ROAD COULD HAVE BEEN USED FOR THE HISTORIC TRAIL THE WHOLE TIME.

AND THAT WAS A LOT OF MONEY GOING DOWN KAM HIGHWAY.

>>Yunji: YOUR THOUGHTS?

>> I THINK WE LIVE IN A WORLD WE'RE CONSTRAINED.

>> CONSTRAINED BY OUR AGREEMENT WITH THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.

STATE'S ARRANGEMENT WITH THE G.E.T AND T.A.T.

EXPIRES AS SOME POINTS.

I THINK WITH FOCUS NEEDS TO BE, NEEDS TO BE LASER FOCUS ON DELIVERING THE NEXT PHASE TO MIDDLE STREET BY 2025.

GETTING THE CONTRACT OUT.

FOR THE COLUMNS AND GUIDEWAY IN CITY CENTER.

GETTING THAT NAILING THAT 2031 TIME LINE.

I DON'T WANT TO SEE THAT GO ANY FURTHER.

I THINK PLANNING TO GO TO U.H.

MANOA IS GOOD.

WE NEED TO BE FOCUSED ON THIS.

NEEDS TO BE A TOP PRIORITY.

I MEAN, MAYBE NOT 100% BUT THE 99% NEEDS FOCUSED GETTING IT RIGHT NEXT PHASE.

WE DON'T FACE THE SAME KIND OF CRITICISM WE HEARD FOR YEARS.

CHANCE TO RESET.

OPEN SYSTEM, SOMETHING THAT'S GOING TO BE DELIVERED 2025 TO MIDDLE STREET.

CONSTRUCTION'S BASICALLY DONE.

JUST TESTING AND GETTING THAT GOING.

WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE GET INTO TOWN RIGHT, THEN TALK ABOUT EXTENSIONS ELSEWHERE.

>>Yunji: WHAT ABOUT SOME OF THE ADAPTATIONS BRINGING IT BACK FOR U‑TURNS.

>> HAVE A SYSTEM IN PLACE.

HOW MUCH FLEXIBILITY DO WE HAVE WITH WHAT IS ALREADY BUILT?

>> AGAIN, THIS IS PART OF THE NATURE OF THE BEAST.

WORKING WITH THE COUNTY, LEVEL OF GOVERNMENT, HART, STATE FEDERAL.

WHERE DOES THE MONEY COME FROM?

VIEWERS ON THE WINDWARD SIDE, ARE WE WILLING TO COUGH UP ANOTHER MILLION TO $2 MILLION TO PUT IN U‑TURNS TO HELP PEOPLE THERE.

HELPS BUSINESSES, WHICH IS GREAT.

WE HAVE TO KIND OF WEIGH THAT AMONG ALL THE OTHER THINGS WE NEED TO DO.

TOUGH QUESTION.

I THINK AS WE GO ALONG WITH THE SYSTEM THAT'S OPERATIONAL, PEOPLE ARE USING IT BEFORE USING THE BUS TO GET THERE, WE CAN KIND OF WEIGH THESE CHANGES.

IF I'M STILL TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE CHAIR, WE CAN START LOOKING AT THESE THINGS.

ALREADY DID WITH THE CROSSING.

AT PEARL HIGHLANDS.

WE NEED TO GET THIS DONE BEFORE WE OPEN.

THERE IS ROOM.

FOR ADAPTATION.

AGAIN, IT'S WITHIN ALL OF THE CONSTRAINTS WE FACE.

WORKING WITH MULTIJURISDICTIONAL PARTNERS.

MAKE A SYSTEM THAT WORKS AS WELL AS IT CAN FOR AS MANY PEOPLE WE CAN.

>>Yunji: WHEN YOU GET ON THAT TRAIN WITH YOUR CHILDREN, WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO BE THINKING ABOUT AND WHAT DO YOU WANT THEIR EXPERIENCE TO BE?

>> WELL, MY CHILDREN RANGE FROM 26, 22, GOING TO BE 18.

GRADUATED, GOING TO GO TO U.H.

WEST OAHU.

NOW, I HAVE A ONE‑YEAR‑OLD.

SO IT'S A VARIETY.

>>Yunji: QUITE A RANGE.

>> YEAH.

YOU KNOW, IT'S THE RAIL OR SKYLINE IS ONE OF THE LARGEST CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS OR THE LARGEST CONSTRUCTION PROJECT IN THIS HAWAII HISTORY.

OAHU'S HISTORY.

TO SEE THIS WHERE THEY CAN BE ABLE TO USE IT, BE ABLE TO GO FROM EITHER U.H.

WEST OAHU, HCC, LCC, ALL THE WAY TO U.H.

MANOA, IF THAT WAS POSSIBLE, HOPEFULLY, IN MY LIFETIME TO SEE THAT GO TO FRUITION, I WOULD BE HAPPY AND I THINK THEY WOULD BE BENEFIT FROM IT.

>>Yunji: FOR SURE.

WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ABOUT THAT?

>> TEND TO AGREE.

WHAT HAS BEEN SAID ABOUT EXTENSIONS.

GOT TO GET TO MIDDLE STREET FIRST, THEN THROUGH DILLINGHAM, AND GET INTO TOWN AND TO THE CIVIC CENTER.

THAT'S THE NEXT PHASE.

WE HAVE TO DO THAT.

THEN WE CAN ALREADY START THE CONVERSATION ABOUT GOING TO ALA MOANA.

THAT WILL BE THE COMPLETE LINE.

BUT THEN FULL VALUE OF THE RAIL IS IF THIS GOES TO U.H.

MANOA AND TO WAIKIKI.

AFTER THAT, THEN WE CAN TALK ABOUT OTHER EXTENSIONS.

AND EVERY RAIL LINE THAT YOU HAVE IN THE U.S.

ALWAYS WORKS THAT WAY.

THEY BUILD THE SPINE FIRST.

BRANCHES OUT AFTER THAT.

I DON'T THINK THAT WILL BE ANY DIFFERENT HERE.

JUST A MATTER OF HOW LONG THE WAIT.

I THINK PART OF ISSUE IS THIS IS PHENOMENA SEE ALL THE TIME IN HAWAII.

DO A PLAN.

SITS ON A SHELF.

WE DO ANOTHER PLAN.

UPDATE TO THAT ONE.

SITS ON THE SHELF.

MUCH MORE INTERESTED IN HAVING A PLAN THAT WE CAN STICK TO.

GET IT DONE PRACTICAL.

THAT'S WHY I THINK IT'S SO IMPORTANT THAT WE AGAIN, GET FOR MIDDLE STREET, GET INTO TOWN, BEFORE WE START TO KIND OF EXPLORE IN ANY GREAT DETAIL GOING BEYOND INTO OTHER AREAS.

>>Yunji: ANTHONY, ALMOST OUT OF TIME.

I DO WANT TO GET YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT HOW IN WASHINGTON, D.C., FOR INSTANCE, OR OTHER COMMUNITIES, ONCE PEOPLE EXPERIENCE THIS, THE PERCEPTION CHANGES.

WHAT DO YOU THINK IT'S GOING TO TAKE TO FLIP THAT SWITCH.

STILL IS QUITE A BIT OF RESISTANCE TO THIS PROJECT.

IT IS HERE NOW.

THERE ARE EVEN PEOPLE WHO WOULD LIKE TO TEAR THOSE GUIDEWAYS DOWN.

WHAT WILL IT TAKE TO FLIP THAT?

>> TIME.

I THINK PEOPLE START TO USE IT.

AS IT EXPANDS, AS IT GETS TO ALA MOANA, AND HOPEFULLY BEYOND, WE ALREADY HAVE A COMMITTEE AT HART LOOKING AT EXTENSIONS BECAUSE IT'S TAKEN US A LONG TIME TO BUILD UP IN CORE TEAM OF EXPERTISE WITHIN HART.

THEY REALLY WORKING WELL NOW.

IT'S TAKEN A LONG TIME TO GET HERE.

I WASN'T ON THE BOARD BACK THEN.

I DON'T HAVE TO APOLOGIZE FOR THAT.

IT'S WORKING REALLY WELL NOW.

SO NOW IS THE TIME TO START THINKING ABOUT HOW WE CAN ADD ON THE EXTENSIONS BECAUSE THE LEAD TIME TO DO THESE THINGS IS SO LONG.

IF WE DON'T START NOW, WE'LL GET TO ALA MOANA.

WE'LL LOSE ALL OF THESE PEOPLE.

AND THEN WE'LL BE STARTING FROM SCRATCH AGAIN.

SO I THINK I DISAGREE WITH TYLER.

I THINK NOW IS THE TIME TO START THINKING ABOUT THIS.

ESPECIALLY BECAUSE ONE OF THE OPTIONS THAT WE WANT TO LOOK AT IS IF WE CAN DO A P3 TO GET THROUGH TO U.H.

THE P3 THAT WAS EXPLORED BEFORE, I NEVER UNDERSTOOD HOW IT WAS SUPPOSED TO WORK.

THERE WAS NO NEW DEVELOPMENT POTENTIAL TO BE CAPTURED BY OUR P3 PARTNER.

ALL OF THE DEVELOPMENT POTENTIAL DOWN IN KAKAAKO IS ALREADY TAKEN BY HOWARD HUGHES, KAMEHAMEHA SCHOOLS.

I DON'T KNOW HOW WE THOUGHT A PRIVATE DEVELOPER COULD GET MONEY OUT OF IT.

BUT TO GET TO U.H., WE COULD DO THAT WITH A PRIVATE DEVELOPER.

LOOKING AT THAT NOW.

MAY BE A WAY TO ACTUALLY BUILD ON TO THE SYSTEM WITHOUT PUTTING OUR HANDS IN TAXPAYORS POCKETS.

WHICH WOULD MAKE ME VERY HAPPY.

>>Yunji: I THINK A LOT OF TAXPAYORS TOO.

I WANT TO GIVE YOU THE LAST WORD TONIGHT.

GOT JUST UNDER 2 MINUTES LEFT.

I WANT TO GO BACK TO THAT SENTIMENT WE HEARD FROM THE FOLKS ON THE WINDWARD SIDE.

NOT JUST FOLKS WINDWARD SIDE.

FOLKS SAY I MIGHT LIVE DOWNTOWN.

ALONG THE RAIL ROUTE.

NEVER GOING TO RIDE THIS.

WHY IS THIS STILL A WORTHY INVESTMENT FOR OUR COMMUNITY?

>> TAKE A DEEP BREATH IN AND BE OKAY WITH SITTING IN THAT PARADOX THAT I MENTIONED EARLIER.

THINGS TO LAMENT AND THINGS MOVING FORWARD TO LAMENT AS WELL.

AT THE SAME TIME, BE THINGS TO CELEBRATE.

THINGS THAT WILL BE MEANINGFUL.

AND POWERFUL AND MOBILITY IS ONE OF THESE THINGS SO HELPFUL TO THE PEOPLE WOULD WILL USE THIS RAIL.

BUT WE MOVE FORWARD.

WITH HOPE.

WITH FAITH.

THAT'S ALL GOING TO WORK OUT.

>>Yunji: OKAY.

WE'LL LEAVE IT THERE.

THIS IS AN ISSUE THAT HAS BEEN CONTENTIOUS SINCE ITS INCEPTION, WE DON’T EXPECT THAT TO CHANGE, AND CERTAINLY NOT IN ONE DISCUSSION, BUT SKYLINE STARTING TOMORROW IS A SIGNIFICANT TURNING POINT.

WE’LL KNOW MUCH MORE ABOUT THE TRUE IMPACT ON TRAFFIC AND PUBLIC PERCEPTION OF THE PROJECT ONCE PEOPLE CAN ACTUALLY RIDE THE RAIL.

MAHALO TO ALL OF OUR GUESTS, AND TO YOU AT HOME FOR BEING A PART OF TONIGHT’S TOWN HALL.

WE’RE TAKING A BREAK NEXT MONTH, BUT WE’LL BE BACK WITH ANOTHER KAKOU IN AUGUST, FOCUSING ON DISASTER PREPAREDNESS.

WE NOW HAVE EL NINO CONDITIONS IN THE PACIFIC, WHICH MEANS WARMER WATER AND POTENTIALLY MUCH STRONGER STORMS ‑ ARE WE READY?

WE HOPE YOU JOIN US THEN.

I’M YUNJI DE NIES.

UNTIL NEXT TIME, ALOHA.