According to a recent survery conducted by Ward Research Inc for the Honolulu Star Advertiser and Hawaii News Now, only 43 percent of Oahu voters currently feel that the City and County of Honolulu should continue with the mass transit rail system. A similar poll was conducted in May 2011, where only 49 percent of voters surveyed stated they wanted to continue to project. The recent data collected showed that approximately 60 percent of the residents living in Windward Oahu, the North Shore and urban Honolulu oppose the rail project. In the neighborhoods that the rail system will service, surprisingly only 53 percent stated that they still give their support. The margin of error is estimated at plus or minus 4.2 percent.
The Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation still maintains that the rail system is the best option for the state. They also are quick to point out that the building of the rail system will create approximately 10,000 jobs for Hawaii residents. Honolulu Mayor Peter Carlisle, a strong supporter of the rail project, stated that the project is “a catalyst for a rejuvenated, a renovated and a renaissance appraoch to the urban core.” Carlisle added, “It’ll do all sorts of positive things in the future for education, for transportation, for affordable housing, for elder mobility, all of those things are going to be available.”
Currently, the rail project is expected to cost $5.27 billion. The City and County of Honolulu has currently spend $342 million on the project.
Source: Honolulu Star Advertiser, 2-12-2012, www.staradvertiser.com
Posted by Jeff Uyemura-Reyes, Broker-in-Charge, Realtor
Global Executive Realty, LLC
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