HONOLULU (AP) - A Honolulu City Council member suggested the incoming mayoral administration delay the start of the city’s rail service project because of a budget shortage.
Councilwoman Kym Pine told a council committee Tuesday that pushing back the rail service’s opening would be sensible if it helps balance the city’s nearly $3 billion operating budget, The Honolulu Star-Advertiser reported Wednesday.
Pine suggested delaying the start date of the first segment of the rail line by a year or longer.
Bus revenue has dropped significantly since the onset of the coronavirus pandemic, which has contributed to what the administration of current Mayor Kirk Caldwell estimates will be a $400 million shortfall in next year’s operating budget overseen by incoming Mayor Rick Blangiardi.
Manuel Valbuena, the city’s acting director of budget and fiscal services, said last week that the projected $400 million shortfall includes $140 million to $160 million for operations and maintenance of the new rail line.
The Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation is tasked with building the rail service, which a recently updated estimate projects will exceed $11 billion.
The transportation authority is scheduled to make a handover at the beginning of the next fiscal year in July of the “interim service” rail segment from East Kapolei to Aloha Stadium.
The entire 20-mile (32-kilometer), 21-station rail line from East Kapolei to Ala Moana Center is not projected to be completed until between 2027 and 2033.
Pine noted that a disagreement between the Caldwell administration and transport authority Executive Director Andrew Robbins over whether to procure a public-private partnership for the for the rail line’s construction has only recently been resolved.
“We’re clearly not ready,” Pine said. “And we’re in a crisis (economically), so it just seems we should focus on survival of current service, and then when things get a little better, maybe we can start introducing new services.”
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