by John Carroll

Where are our leaders who have a realistic UNDERSTANDING of the realities of HART’s TOTAL FAILURE???

Recent Minutes of a HART Board meeting show clearly that the members’ PRIMARY concern is LIABILITY and IMMUNITY.

In that session the members agreed to an EXECUTIVE SESSION (Secret) to discuss those two issues. The Board refuses to release the minutes of the EXECUTIVE Session

Now the City Council is going forward with the alternative plan as reported by Civil Beat:

“The FTA has been withholding the final $744 million in federal funds allotted to the project. The agency indicated recently that it has confidence in HART’s revised $9.19 billion budget for the project, but was still worried about the actual costs associated with switching to a so-called ‘public-private partnership’ in order to finish the project.”

At this time leaks, cracks, on going delays rule the day at HART. Their main concern seems to be maintaining the money flow to insure their $300 plus million dollar HART Annual Operating Budget.

Contrary to the original statutory provisions this new plan contemplates extracting millions through increased Honolulu real property and other forms of taxation and fee increases.

The only logical step to take at this time is to have the Mayor file for an injunction in Federal Court for a Forensic Investigation (which is probably ongoing), and a Forensic Audit.  The Order should stop all construction and all expenditures, especially, the HART Board operating funds. 

When the Audit and the Investigation are complete, when we know with some certainty the current viability of the originally planned project, the City will be able to make cogent decisions as to the future feasibility.

The citizens should be made aware of the extent of the CALAMITY facing this City at this time. Civil Beat seems to be aware of the situation, while the Star Advertiser continues to IGNORE this DEVOURING MONSTER!!! 


Canopy cracks might delay Honolulu rail construction

Several prefabricated steel “canopy arms,” like the ones on the platform at the UH-West Oahu station station along Kualakai Parkway, were found to have cracks and were not installed. The frames hold up fabric canopies that provide shade. By StarAdvertiser Gordon Y.K. Pang / June 7, 2019


There’s Still No Word On How Much Honolulu Rail Will Cost —To Ride

Crews test one of Honolulu rail’s driverless trains on the elevated track above Farrington Highway in Waipahu.

Interim service looms next year, but city officials don’t know what the fares will be, and no formal proposals have been made. By Civil Beat Marcel Honore / May 22, 2019


Honolulu Rail’s Final Federal Money Not Expected Until Next Year

HART CEO Andrew Robbins briefs the media Thursday on the latest delay in federal approval of a rail recovery plan.

UPDATED: The Federal Transit Administration has withheld $744 million from the project since 2015. By Civil Beat Marcel Honore / April 11, 2019