Rail Transit

[LikaNui]

Re: Rail Transit

People might ride the rail for two reasons: Spend a lot less on gas and parking, and avoid being stuck in traffic.

Okay, I'm curious and I don't recall seeing these questions answered yet:

• People will still have to drive to the rail stations, won't they?
• And won't that increase traffic around those stations, and at the worst possible times?
• And then they'll have to park their cars there... somewhere... all day. Where will all those cars park?
• And will that parking be free???

Responses, anyone, please?

[sansei]

Re: Rail Transit

hi this is sansei and i believe in my heart that rail will be built and that no one will be able to do anything and i dont believe in panos and Ann K and only mufi would be able to bring rail to light and no one would want to be able to sit in Trafficgridlock for life and i agree with our mayor. would anyone wish to sit in gridlock for life if Mufi lost and either panos or Ann K won?

Well thank's for your time

[joshuatree]

Re: Rail Transit

I've asked plenty, and not one City bus driver has anything good to say about the Mayor's rail plans. All want more buses and new routing to do the job.

That should tell you something...

All it tells me is that bus drivers are afraid of losing their jobs and being displaced by the rail. That's not surprising. I am sure if you ask all taxi drivers, they will not like rail either.

Okay, I'm curious and I don't recall seeing these questions answered yet:

• People will still have to drive to the rail stations, won't they?
• And won't that increase traffic around those stations, and at the worst possible times?
• And then they'll have to park their cars there... somewhere... all day. Where will all those cars park?
• And will that parking be free???

Responses, anyone, please?

I'll take a stab.

1) It all depends, with buses serving as feeder routes, a bus may now be stopping closer to your home than ever before. So you may end up not needing to drive to get to the rail station. Or if you do need to drive, what's worse? A quick 5 min drive down to your local station or the commute one does everyday?

2) Traffic shouldn't increase to intolerable conditions because each neighborhood/area has their own station. The traffic is divided up unlike the cumulative effect the H1 sees.

3) I know some stations, not all, will have park and rides, so yes, you can park at the station.

4) It depends, I've used park and rides before and some charge a $1, some are free.

[LikaNui]

Re: Rail Transit

Thanks, JT. I guess what I'm wondering is if there are any official-type answers to those questions. Links to positions on them from the mayor's office, li'dat.

[Random]

Re: Rail Transit

I've asked plenty, and not one City bus driver has anything good to say about the Mayor's rail plans. All want more buses and new routing to do the job.

That should tell you something...

Can the County afford new buses and new drivers? Or are we looking at a $5 bus fare and a $60 monthly pass? (Barely enough to cover gas.)

[dick]

Re: Rail Transit

Just wondering if any of the armchair quarterbacks here have ever lived in a city with rail transit?

Ever used anything besides the Pearlridge monorail?

By all the amazing commentary being spouted here, it appears not.

[sansei]

Re: Rail Transit

hi this is sansei and i just heard panos on tv and the question was read from what he want's on the ballot and it's to confusing and i believe in my heart,he wont be our mayor and i believe in my heart,mufi will be our mayor once again and i dont think i'd vote for ann k is i dont like rubber on concrete and panos doesnt have experience and like mufi said,if one of these two are elected,be waiting for life to sit in trafficgridlock.

well thank's for your time

[joshuatree]

Re: Rail Transit

Just wondering if any of the armchair quarterbacks here have ever lived in a city with rail transit?

Ever used anything besides the Pearlridge monorail?

By all the amazing commentary being spouted here, it appears not.

I have to both questions and I base my answers on those experiences.

[Leo Lakio]

Re: Rail Transit

Just wondering if any of the armchair quarterbacks here have ever lived in a city with rail transit?

For the most part, I've been staying out of the discussion, though Seattle has had this ongoing battle since before I arrived here in 1984. Many of the questions, comments and answers are ones that have been bounced around here as well - but too many posters would say that Mainland experiences aren't relevant to the Islands.

FWIW, despite decades of debate, we still don't have a rail system yet - but one is being built at present.

[turtlegirl]

Re: Rail Transit

Just wondering if any of the armchair quarterbacks here have ever lived in a city with rail transit?

Ever used anything besides the Pearlridge monorail?

By all the amazing commentary being spouted here, it appears not.

Los Angeles, New York, and San Francisco; Mr Obviously Nobody Knows Jack About Rail. Sheesh!

Pearlridge had a monorail?!?? I never knew! Where does it go?

[helen]

Re: Rail Transit

The Pearlridge monorail links the two major buildings of the shopping center. It's a very short run and cost about 50 cents to ride when I rode on it a couple of years ago.

[Ron Whitfield]

Re: Rail Transit

JTree, what ever makes you think any bus drivers will be out of jobs with rail? There will be no less of a need for City busses, in fact it will probably increase, as you even mentioned feeder routes. Taxi's as well.
They have their ears to the ground on these matters and enjoy unique positions to have worthwhile opinions.

I don't see much of any of this rail plan being workable, and if it's with Hawaii based firms doing the planning and labor, then I'm less than hopeful.

[salmoned]

Re: Rail Transit

Random, no, I don't support an expanded roadway. I support expansion of HOV lanes, as previously mentioned. Citing the article was meant to bring some rational information to the attention of our readers. For instance, that 90% of transit ridership occurs in cities of over one million (since we don't rate that category, our rail system subsidies will likely be larger than average). As well, asking if we can afford an expansion of the bus system while arguing for a much costlier rail transit system qualifies as cognitive dissonance. By the time rail is completed, a $5 fare will likely sound wonderful to you (don't get your hopes up).

Joshuatree, in fact, the mayor made a deal with the bus union - no job losses in exchange for rail support. I didn't think to note exactly where I heard about that deal, but it was reported.

I live in Ewa Beach, going to the proposed rail station would currently involve a 20 to 30 minute drive during rush hour (otherwise 12 minutes), longer by bus, of course (waiting time). I CAN drive two blocks to the grocery store in 5 minutes (only 2 speed bumps, a stop at the driveway, 1 stop sign and 3 light signals). Try driving from Maile or Makaha to Kapolei or Wahiawa to the Pearl City Library in 5 minutes. Very few commuters live '5 minutes by car' from the proposed rail stations and only a few of the stations may have parking lots large enough to accommodate many cars - specifically, those at the almost Kapolei end-of-line (for all Leeward side commuters) and Pearl City (for Mililani/Wahaiwa/Haleiwa and beyond commuters). As for parking fees, it will depend on whether the lots are funded/operated by rail system resources or by private companies (I've seen both). I'd expect to see parking for $1.00, $2.00 or $5.00/day with monthly/annual discounts.

Leo Lakio, Seattle has had a a rail transit system for years ( http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/htm...ounder21m.html ) and the subsidies are enormous, despite not having to build the system from scratch and sharing some of the expenses with BNSF. You can just imagine how much larger our subsidies will be (even greater than those suggested in the article).

[Leo Lakio]

Re: Rail Transit

Leo Lakio, Seattle has had a a rail transit system for years.

No, the Sounder train is not a "Seattle" system. It's a leasing of existing freight-and-passenger rails to bring people in from north of Seattle (Everett) or south (Tacoma) into Seattle, or vice versa. It does not transport people anywhere within Seattle beyond the King Street rail station. It also did not involve any new rail construction, one of the prime issues that has held up any in-city light rail for years. It is, however, operated by the same regional agency that is presently builiding a system within the city, Sound Transit.

[salmoned]

Re: Rail Transit

Very funny. The Sounder commuter rail transit system is subsidized by Seattle, it takes people into Seattle, it's integrated into Seattle's regional bus transit system, but somehow doesn't qualify as a Seattle rail transit system in your mind? Well, our proposed rail transit system is rather similar. People will be commuting from outlying cities, such as Kapolei, Ewa Beach, Nanakuli, Makaha, Waipahu, Mililani, Wahiawa, Pearl City, Aiea, etc., going in and out of Honolulu and it will be integrated with our bus transit system, too - so I guess you wouldn't call ours a city rail transit system, either. However, just as Sounder is a Seattle metropolitan area rail system, so may our system be considered a Honolulu metropolitan area (county) rail transit system. For intra-city transportation in Honolulu, buses will not be replaced by the proposed rail transit system, since it will consist of a single line with only a few stations in the city itself. If Sounder Transit isn't a Seattle rail transit system, then by extension Seattle has no bus system either (since the same organization runs both systems), eh? You can nitpick definitions til death do us part, but it doesn't change the nature of the similarities here. Your integrated transit system is regional, ours is county; your transit system has saved money by using and sharing existing railways, ours cannot; your system is supported by a population of 4 million, ours will be supported by a population of 1 million; your system has been operating at a deficit for years and is currently expanding, ours has yet to be voted upon - that exhausts the list of major differences.