Let those who profit fund Oahu rail system ADVERTISING Let those who profit fund Oahu rail system Oahu has got it self in debt with a rail system that will provide service for only half of the island. It appears
Let those who profit fund Oahu rail system
Oahu has got it self in debt with a rail system that will provide service for only half of the island. It appears to me that this system was proposed mostly to support the construction industry and not the residents of Hawaii. Think about it, Kapolei, Oahu, is a new city built without a thought of the added burden on Oahu’s highway system and now we have Kakaako that offers a car-less way of living. There will be no parking available and that will give more space for more apartments, which will give more profit for the developers and what better way to sell this concept then to offer a train at your doorstep?
It has always been suspected that our state government has had its hands in the pockets of big developers and other monopolies, such as airlines interisland shipping and many others to include our banks. We that live outside of Oahu and those that live on the windward side of Oahu will never benefit from this train. So, why should we pay for it? Let the developers and the monopolies pay for it, after all they are the ones who will profit from it.
Another problem that no one is talking about is how will this rail survive. To survive, you will need ridership, Oahu has the best bus system in the state, yet people won’t give up their independence they get by driving their own cars no matter how bad the traffic congestion gets. The cost of a ticket on the train will be much more then the bus so there is no incentive for bus riders to switch. That leaves tourist and curious residents to try it once. After that, what are they going to do and who’s going to subsidize this folly? That’s right, we the people.
Unlike the ferry, we can’t send it back to the mainland and by the way we’re still paying for the clean up of that political disaster and that’s too bad because the ferry would have served the whole state and it’s people but it would have given direct competition to our state leaders favorite monopolies and all the money and favors they receive from them.
Don’t let this happen write letters and call your legislators and tell them our money is for our island and Oahu can dig their way out of this hole they created on their own.
Paul Santos
Ocean View
