SCIENCE & ENVIRONMENT
May 2, 2011
P20 Designer: David Lawrence
www.hpu.edu/kalamalamaonline
Oahu is working on the railroad Construction starting on elevated train from Ala Moana to West Oahu
DAVID LAWRENCE student writer
In an effort to increase the effectiveness in transportation for West Oahu, the City and Country of Honolulu is constructing an elevated train line. The initial plan is to have the path run from Ala Moana past Pearl City and into West Oahu. “It is the technology of the future,” says Marine Biology major Nick Vargas. With more than 20 transit stops along the line, the train would effectively support TheBus. The construction of this line, which broke ground on Feb. 22, 2011, would improve the available options that HPU students, teachers and staff have to come to school. The train is an automatic, electronically powered system which makes the operation of the line eco-friendly. With the limited and costly parking around the downtown campus, most people have limited options. With the construction of the Honolulu High-Capacity Transit Corridor, a new option would be available. Some of the TheBus routes will be extended or moved to connect with the transit stations of the train. This will provide a potential seamless connection between the train and the bus. “The elevated system will operate with precision and reliability. So, if you need to be at work by 8 a.m., you’ll arrive at work by 8 a.m., even if it’s raining or there’s a big
accident on H1,” a statement by the Department of Transportation. With a planned stop right by the intersection Bishop Street and Ala Moana Boulevard, students can spend less time commuting each day. This allows for those with morning classes to sleep in. The commuter will also benefit by the travel time of the train’s service. The train is projected to have the ability to move 8,000 people an hour. If this amount of people do in fact use this option, traffic on the road by the route could be decreased by 18 percent. “It will be epic. It will be so much quicker,” says Marine Biology major Patrick Berg. Because of this, students, teachers, or staff who still rely on cars, could travel more quickly. A poll taken of the students suggests that they would like to see the line branch off to other sides of the island. The same ticket, and therefore the same charge, of the bus would be used for the train line. This means that if that if the line were to open tomorrow, it would cost adults $2.50 to ride the line. An additional benifit is that
“I think rail might be a good thing for Hawaii, but I think that at this point it may be too expensive,” -Ethan Perry
An artist’s drawing of what one of the stations may look like. the ticket will allow transfer from the train to the bus and vice versa. “People who live in communities with high-quality public transportation drive less, exercise more, live longer, and are generally healthier than residents of communities that lack quality public transit.” reported the Americian Public Transportation Association (APTA). This does depend on some effort on an individual’s part, but the benifits can be well worth the time. “I think rail might be a good thing for Hawaii, but I think that at this point it may be too expensive for a project that only benefits a relatively small area. “People from the windward side, like me, for example, will probably see little or no improvement.” says Ethan Perry. The students of the future will reap the benefits of this train line.
Courtesy Department of Transportation
Projected Fares Youth One-way -- $1.50 Monthly -- $30 Annual -- $330
Adult One-way -- $2.50 Monthly -- $60 Annual -- $660
Senior One-way -- $1.00 Monthly -- $5.00 Annual -- $30 (with Senior Pass)
(Prices are subject to change)