My birthplace of Honolulu, Hawaii has had increasing traffic problems for the last 50 years or so. What has also happened during that timespan, were constant plans and debates over a metro rail system. At least five Mayors since the late 1960s tried to construct an elevated train line from west to east across the island of Oahu, and each time they were met with opposition from other politicians and some of the public who refused to let it happen for various reasons such as construction costs and low population to support it at the time. June 30th, 2023 made history for the aloha state, as the most recent rail plan that was actually approved and began construction back in 2011, finally opened its first of three financed segments. The 4th of July opening free weekend for the train, called “Skyline,” drew big crowds of residents and some tourists. Many of those residents in the crowd had been previously frustrated at the mismanagement of the project, with some calling for it to be torn down, but the experience of finally riding it (with many having never been on a metro rail system) did help to open their eyes a little bit at the potential this project will have on not just island commuting, but island life in general.
While I was unable to fly back home for this important island event, I watched the many local news live broadcasts online of the opening ceremonies, and finally the first group of residents taking their first ride on the first metro train in Honolulu as it left the Halawa Station near Aloha Stadium. The first segment of Skyline is eleven miles of elevated guideway and nine stations, stretching from the east end of Kapolei and the new Ho’opili residential and retail development in West Oahu, to Pearl Harbor. The next segment will take riders from Pearl Harbor to the Middle Street Transit hub just outside the town of Kalihi, and just a few miles away from Downtown Honolulu. That second part of the project will include four more stations, with the most important one being a station directly connecting Honolulu International Airport. The guideway, tracks and stations have been constructed and are almost complete. An opening date of July 2025 has been set for phase 2. The third and final financed segment will run from Middle Street Transit Hub to the Civic Center in the town of Kakaako, just east of Downtown Honolulu, tentatively set to open in 2031. Currently underground utility relocation work is occurring east of the guideway near Middle Street in preparation of column and guideway construction. Now onto more of the first segment opening day. Many Hawaii political dignitaries spoke at the opening ceremonies, including a few of the mayors who dealt with the project. Then the public finally got their chance to use the escalators, elevators, or stairs to reach the platform and take the very first train from Aloha Stadium to East Kapolei. Many were in awe of such unique US rail accessories as platform gates at the station, to having fully automated trains. The big impression made on island residents, were the 50th state views from the rail cars. Residents and tourists alike couldn’t get enough of seeing the island landscape from a 30-foot elevated perspective. There were even a few buildings and houses that I didn’t recognize from that viewpoint, and I was born and raised on that island.
Throughout the free opening weekend from June 30-July 4, most residents and visitors rode the train back and forth for both a first time experience with rail, and for the views. Some came from areas far north of where Skyline’s service runs. While new passengers were mostly pleased with the rides, there were some issues that were raised: Operation hours are extremely short, from 5 a.m. to 7 p.m. weekdays, and from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. on weekends and holidays. This was apparently a contract decision by the train manufacturer, and would cost more to operate if the initial hours ran longer. Department of Transportation officials (who are in charge of Rail operations) have stated that hours will be increased (probably to midnight) once segment to opens to the Airport and Middle Street. Another issue was parking. Currently, three of the first nine stations have park-and-ride lots. There was some confusion with DTS and local news mentioning other stations with smaller amounts of parking stalls. The East Kapolei station, at the west end of the Skyline route does not have parking, but the next station near UH West Oahu does. That did create issues with illegal parking on a nearby bike path and grassy area fronting the first station. Future plans include a park-and-ride lot at East Kapolei station, and an initially cancelled 1600-stall parking garage at the Waiawa station. The last, and honestly most annoying complaint about Skyline: no bathrooms. Thinking it over, I believe that this complaint is base in alot of inexperience most Hawaii residents have with a rail system. Restrooms at metro rail stations are not common, and are usually found at large transit hubs like a Union Station in New York, DC, Los Angeles, etc. I can speak from experience for the LA Union Station bathrooms, that they’re unable to be cleaned on a regular basis, and can be known for some criminal activity. It really frustrates me that of all the issues people had with the Skyline opening. a lack of bathrooms seemed to be #1 on the list. There don’t seem to be alot of restroom complaints with bus stops. Some bus transit centers do have bathrooms, but much like beach parks and community parks, they’re dirty and very sketchy-looking, so most would rather not use them. Also, Skyline’s first segment is a 20-minute ride each way, 40 minutes round-trip, with trains arriving every 10 minutes. Compared with the long and inconsistent bus travel and arrival times specifically in the suburban and rural areas (some buses can run every half-hour to an hour), I don’t really see what the problem is. Regardless, DTS mentioned that some stations had bathrooms available by request, but later strongly suggested folks use porta-potties placed at the east end Halawa station for the opening event. It was just alot of inconsistent messaging going on. Rail and bus connection feedback seems to be 50/50, depending on what connecting bus routes are used. A limited stop express bus connecting the Halawa Station to Downtown Honolulu, Ala Moana Shopping Center, and University of Hawaii at Manoa has been reported to run very frequently at 10 minutes. On the other hand, some new circulator buses connecting western suburban areas to the west end rail stations have had some issues. A few were delayed, running 40-45 minutes instead of the ideal 10 minutes. To me, these connections are the most important of the four Skyline issues I listed. Passengers should be able to get to town faster with a rail-to-bus connection from parts of the Waipahu community that are within walking distance of the two stations located there. Other areas farther west of the rail line or closer to the east end of it, will likely keep taking a single bus to work or school, and wait until the next segment can take them closer into town, which is understandable.
Regardless of what anyone’s complaints are with the Skyline’s construction since 2011 (cost overruns, guideway and track issues, changes in the completion date), or the first open segment of Skyline (doesn’t go into town yet), this is a transformative project for the future of Oahu. Going back to the fact that many island residents have not used a metro rail system until now, it will have to be understood that rail projects can not only focus development near their stations, but also change your quality of life by simply having more options to travel, and planning commutes or weekend outings in a different way. While the first nine stations go from farmlands transitioning to housing and retail, to existing suburban communities with just a few major businesses near stations, there is the potential for Skyline station events to keep people excited about using the rail line. It can be small farmers markets or music festivals at the west end stations for example, but it will be fun activities for families while kids are out of school for the summer. The Aloha Stadium station, while the stadium itself is officially closed and set for demolition and redevelopment into a new smaller stadium and entertainment complex in several years, the Aloha Flea Market Swap Meet still occurs in its parking lot on Wednesdays, Saturdays, and Sundays. Folks can easily take a car free trip on Skyline to get there and back. The Pearlridge station is just a short walk from the indoor mall of the same name, where you can get off the train and do a little shopping, breakfast or lunch, or go see a movie. There are also a few popular local eateries that are near the Pearlridge, Waipahu Transit Center, and Waiawa stations. Probably the most peculiar station from a location standpoint, is the Waiawa /Pear Highlands Station. It sits in the middle of a former banana patch and current freeway interchange between the communities of Waipahu and Pearl City, near two tall condos and the Pearl Highlands Shopping Center. The aforementioned 1600-stall parking garage that was in the original plans for this station got cut due to lack of funds, as well as a dedicated freeway off-ramp for drivers and buses to feed into the station. A larger issue is the dangerous pedestrian access, with just one crosswalk on a narrow stretch of highway connecting nearby residents to the station. For now, DTS officials are trying to boost new bus service doing drop-offs and pickups at the station, but a longer term solution for walking access would be a pedestrian footbridge connecting the station with the upper level of Pearl Highlands Center, which has small shops, a food court, and a movie theater for Skyline riders to use. Another separate problem with development along the line are the impending closures of the last two major grocery stores in Waipahu: Times Super Market, next to the Waipahu Transit Center station, and Don Quijote, next to the West Loch station. It is very unfortunate that both stores are set to close at about the same time next year, though they are being replaced with mixed residential and retail structures that provide better pedestrian access to each station. My only hope is that both store can still be incorporated into the residential structures, such as having the affordable housing units placed on top of what would probably be a smaller version of the supermarkets. No matter what happens, the community will desperately need a grocery store, so I feel that would be the best compromise.
I am still very happy for my homestate for this milestone of the largest project ever built on the island. There’s so much potential with the future segments that will serve Honolulu Airport, Honolulu Community College, Chinatown, Downtown Honolulu. I think that once the simultaneous construction of the guideway into downtown, while trains test the airport segment, some of the remaining naysayers will join others who rode the first segment and are clamoring for more. While financing was only available to downtown and not the original terminus of Ala Moana Center, cutting a west-east commute in half by passing freeway traffic overhead on Skyline will be such a game-changer on its own, I feel that the public will support any way to get to Ala Moana, then the University of Hawaii, then back west to Kapolei and maybe even farther west to the Waianae Coast. Some always mention a Waikiki extension, but I actually don’t think that’s needed as much as people think. I believe that a station serving the entrance to Waikiki, while on the way north to UH would be fine, as the rest of that area is very walkable. Even a spur line to serve Central Oahu towns Mililani and Wahiawa should be in the cards. Skyline is truly the gift that keeps on giving, and over time with each segment opening, Oahu residents will begin to realize that.