Interim Executive Director for the Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation, Toru Hamayasu, stated that it would be cheaper for the city to start construction of the rail project then delay construction, even with the stipulation that the project may be forced to be torn down completely if federal funding does not come in. The City and County of Honolulu hopes that the federal goverment will provide $1.55 billion towards the project, but the federal government has not made an actual committment to release these funds. Hamayasu told the members of the City Council Budget Committee that it would cost the city $10 million a month to delay the rail project.
Several of the City Council members suggested that the city should delay construction on the $5.27 billion project until federal funding if formally granted. City Councilman Ikaika Anderson stated, “I’m hearing from people across Oahu who are concerned that the city is going to be building columns for this fixed guideway that we’re only going to have to turn around and tear down, and that greatly concerns people. It greatly concerns me.” The city is hopeful that the Federal Transit Administration will be able to make that committment by October 2012.
Source: Honolulu Star Advertiser, 3-16-2012, www.staradvertiser.com
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