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Cover Story continued

Timeline: 120 years of Honolulu Transit

Mar 31, 2010
Rail: EIS Unbound

The 1800s

1888: The Oahu Railway and Land Company is founded with a government railroad charter approved by King David Kalakaua.

1895: The development of the OR&L’s route across ‘Ewa establishes the first urban development at Pearl City.

1899: The first two automobiles in Honolulu take to the streets.

Early 1900s

1901: Honolulu Rapid Transit and Land Company launches an electric streetcar system.

1925: Motor bus operations begin in Honolulu.

The ’40s & ’50s

1942: Streetcars are replaced completely by buses.

1947: OR&L makes its last trip on New Year’s Eve before the company’s dissolution.

1953: Construction of the H-1 highway is complete.

The ’60s

1960s: Public opposition to expanding highways mounts on Oahu.

1966: Honolulu Mayor Neal Blaisdell suggests rail as an alternative to automobiles.

1967: Oahu Transportation Study concludes rail between Pearl City and Hawaii Kai would be a cost-effective transportation solution.

1968: Preliminary engineering and evaluation completed for Honolulu Area Rail Rapid Transit, popularly known as HART.

The ’70s & ’80s

1971: Bus operations expand on Oahu under a new name: TheBus.

1980: HART advocate and Honolulu Mayor Frank Fasi loses reelection to Eileen Anderson.

1981: Honolulu Mayor Eileen Anderson scraps HART after President Ronald Regan eliminates federal funding for new mass transit.

1984: Frank Fasi reelected as mayor.

1986: City officials revive rapid transit project, based on planning from HART but incorporating new automated technologies, and call it Honolulu Rapid Transit or HRT.

The ’90s

1992: Final Environmental Impact Statement is issued for HRT.

1992: City Council rejects local funding solution, halts HRT.

1998: City develops the Oahu Trans 2K Islandwide Mobility Concept Plan, an integrated transportation approach with planned roadway and public bus system improvements.

The aughts

2000: Major Investment Study and Draft Environmental Impact Statement for a system based on bus rapid transit completed.

2005: State Legislature approves Act 247, allowing City Council to levy tax to fund transit improvements.

2005: State and Federal paperwork filed to explore transit solutions for Oahu congestion.

2006: Honolulu High-Capacity Transit Corridor Project Alternatives Analysis Report completed. Report evaluates four transit solutions: Do nothing, transportation system management, express buses operating in managed lanes, fixed-guideway transit system.

2007: City Council considers 3,000 public comments, selects a fixed-guideway from East Kapolei to Ala Moana by way of Salt Lake Boulevard as the locally-preferred alternative.

November 2008: Oahu voters pass a charter amendment in support of a steel-wheel on steel-rail transit system.

November 2008: City releases Draft Environmental Impact Statement, requests comments from public.

November 2008: City Council Chairman Todd Apo and City Councilman Charles Djou propose altering rail route to go past airport.

January 2009: City Council passes resolution to approve airport route.

October 2009: City submits Final Environmental Impact Statement to Federal government, Honolulu Mayor Mufi Hannemann announces delay to planned December 2009 groundbreaking.

Into the future

March 2010: Federal, State and City officials meet to discuss airport zoning and other technical issues.

2018: Planned completion of Honolulu High-Capacity Transit Corridor Project, based on December 2009 groundbreaking.

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