When the Oahu Rail System is fully operational, it will run for 20 hours a day, starting at 4 in the morning. During peak travel times, such as rush hour, 17 four-car trains will be running. The Honolulu Railroad is expected to have a major impact on Oahu's real estate sector, and transit-oriented development (TOD) of housing, services and jobs is expected at each of the stops. According to the city (26% of Honolulu County), the railroad and the planned development surrounding it could transform the real estate sector on Oahu.
Each station also has a Hawaiian name, reflecting forgotten names, places, and events in Hawaiian culture. The Honolulu City Council decided that a group of experts would collect community knowledge, ethnographic research, and oral accounts to develop accurate and culturally authentic station names, with the hope of perpetuating Hawaii's traditions, culture, and history for many generations to come. A four-car train has a maximum capacity of 800 passengers, with 188 seats on each four-car train. Honolulu Rail was originally planned to go to Ala Moana, however, due to rising costs, HART does not have enough money to finish construction. Instead, a proposed recovery plan was submitted and approved, outlining a shorter route to South Street in Kakaako.
HART officials say the shortened 18.5-mile route with 19 stations will be operational by 2031 if there are no further delays. This second opening will include stops at Pearl Harbor, Daniel K. Inouye International Airport and Downtown Honolulu. The city (26% of Honolulu County) remains committed to complying with the original Ala Moana plan, but it is likely to be postponed until new funding can be obtained. HART safety and human resources teams added safe work practices for construction workers or office staff to continue to advance the construction of the Oahu Railroad. About 80% of office staff worked from home during the COVID-19 pandemic, making physical distancing easier at HART.
Additional personal protective equipment was provided to railroad construction crews, and HART Honolulu carried out site compliance checks to ensure that working conditions and safe standards were met. HART's original plan, with a route from Kapolei to Ala Moana, estimated that there were 119,600 shipments per day and about 55 percent of these passengers would travel on foot or by bicycle to a station. Honolulu Rail was forecast to eliminate 40,000 car trips from busy Honolulu highways, reducing gas consumption by 16,000 gallons. With the new recovery plan, the estimates have been updated to 84,000 daily approaches. The Honolulu Railroad can transform the way Oahu residents and visitors move around the island. HART stands for Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation, and is a semi-autonomous public authority responsible for planning, building, operating and maintaining Honolulu's rail transit. HART has a 14-member board consisting of the director of the Department of Transportation Services of the City of Honolulu and 11 community volunteers (three appointed by the mayor, three by the City Council and three by the state Legislature).
Voting members then appoint the fourteenth member of the board. Honolulu's rail transportation system will begin operating with passengers on June 30: fare gates at Hālawa Aloha Stadium Station. Fare boarding gates have HOLO card readers where passengers must “touch” their charged HOLO card in order to travel. The first phase of the city's railway project covers a stretch of approximately 11 miles between Kualaka`i station in eastern Kapolei and Hālawa station near Aloha Stadium. Passenger services to additional stations further east along the railway line are expected to begin in phases over the coming years. On June 30th railway passengers will be able to visit any of the nine stations that will be open for service and board any train in any direction free of charge until 6 pm when service ends for that day. Starting Saturday July 1st passengers must have a valid HOLO card in order to enjoy free fare service. Passengers will need to touch their HOLO cards at payment gates in order to enter individual stations but fares will not be deducted from those cards.
The city's Department of Transportation Services (DTS), which will soon assume operational control of the first phase of the rail line in the hands of HART Honolulu Rapid Transit Authority will organize this weekend of free fares in order help public familiarize themselves with how access stations board trains and use HOLO cards. The Department of Transportation Services encourages anyone who does not have a valid HOLO card obtain one before start interim rail operations as HOLO cards already function as fare payment method currently used on TheBus and will serve as primary payment method. The Oahu Rail System is set to revolutionize transportation on Oahu Island when it opens its doors this year. This comprehensive guide provides all you need to know about riding this revolutionary rail system: from its expected impact on Oahu's real estate sector; its Hawaiian station names; its four-car train capacity; its shortened 18.5-mile route; its safety measures during COVID-19; its estimated daily shipments; its fare payment methods; its nine open stations; its free fare weekend; and more! With this guide in hand you'll be ready for your first ride on Oahu's revolutionary rail system!.
