Transit Panel Picks Steel Wheel Technology
A committee of five transit experts picked steel wheel on steel rail as the preferred technology for Oahu’s mass transit system, which is expected to cost $4 to $5 billion.The final vote Friday morning at Mission Memorial Auditorium was 4-1 and came after the committee had met twice in the past week.
The panel was tasked with selecting between four technologies for the 20 mile route from Kapolei to Ala Moana: steel wheel on steel rail, magnetic levitation, monorail, or rubber tire on concrete.
University of Hawaii professor Panos Prevedouros was the only committee member who selected a technology other than rail, preferring rubber tire on concrete instead. “Based on an overabundance of evidence in this nation,” said Prevedouros during a debate with other committee members, “steel wheel on steel rail is the worst medicine for congestion. It is truly a non-solution.”
The four members of the panel who voted in favor of a light rail system were Chairman Ron Tober, Steve Barsony, Ken Knight, and Henry Kolesar – all experts from the mainland. In a press conference at Honolulu Hale Tober disagreed with Prevedouros’ claim that light and heavy rail systems across the country have dismal performance records when it comes to ridership.
“I don't know where that information comes from,” said Tober. “Actually, all of the new light rail systems and rail systems that have come on in cities in the United States recently have all exceeded their expectations for ridership.”
Prevedouros said all of his figures came from the Federal Transit Administration. The UH professor also stated that Oahu’s population of 900,000 could not afford the price tag to build, operate and maintain a light rail system.
“$5 billion to remove three percent of the traffic,” said an incredulous Prevedouros. “We can do something else.”
Ann Kobayashi, one of three Honolulu City Council members who voted against the creation of the expert panel is concerned about the burden a light rail system will place on taxpayers. “There are other alternatives such as the rubber wheels on concrete, which fits our island,” she said. “I'm just concerned about the cost and rubber wheels on concrete is less than half the cost of the steel.”
Kobayashi is also concerned that the half percent increase in the general excise tax that state lawmakers passed to pay for a mass transit system will never go away, even though the added tax is supposed to sunset in December of 2022. “And how much are we getting from the federal government,” the councilwoman asked rhetorically. “The new starts program (under the Federal Transit Administration) has not been giving out a lot of money.”
Tober said the city would have to find a source of funding to support the operation and maintenance of a light rail system since no mass transit operation in the entire country is sustained through the fare box alone. “There will need to be some type of support to cover the cost,” he said. “The system will require some sort of public support.”
All five members of the transit technology panel agreed that a mass transit system alone would not solve Oahu's traffic congestion. However Tober explained the goal of mass transit is to relieve the growing stress on Oahu’s roads. “The investment is designed to continue to sustain economic growth, but not choke the island in the process of doing that," he said.
Todd Apo, a member of the City Council's Transportation Committee said despite the panel’s recommendation, the decision on which type of technology to use for mass transit ultimately rests with city government.
"Obviously this panel's going to have a good amount of input and their report is going to have a good amount of input on that discussion,” Apo said, “but the Council will take up that issue.” Apo said the vehicle for choosing a technology for mass transit would be Bill 80, which passed first reading in October of 2006.
Council members Charles Djou, Donovan Dela Cruz and Ann Koabayashi introduced two resolutions Friday that in a press release said would provide more “transparency and openness” to the technology selection process.
Resolution 08-45 expresses the Council’s intent to exercise its right to select the technology for a mass transit system, while Resolution 08-51 urges the city administration to submit to the Council the specifications of each bid proposal related to the planning, design or construction of any portion of the mass transit system.
Mayor Mufi Hannemann did not comment Friday on the transit technology panel’s selection of light rail. A spokesperson said the mayor, a light rail proponent, is staying clear of the technology selection process.