Light-Rail to Nowhere: Honolulu, Hawaii's Train Boondoggle
http://reason.com/reasontv/2013/08/01/hawaiis-rail-boondoggleIn 2011, officials in Honolulu, Hawaii began construction on a controversial 20-mile rail project partly because of almost $1.8 billion in federal subsidies to President Barack Obama's home state. The project's total cost estimate stands at $5.3 billion, but if other similar projects are any indication, the final price tag will increase dramatically before anyone even gets to buy a ticket. What's playing out in the Aloha State is happening all over the country.
“This rail project is our bridge to nowhereâ€, says University of Hawaii law professor Randall Roth. “We are convinced that it will be billions of dollars over budget and we think they will try to get the federal government to bail them out.â€
Hawaii has some of the worst congestion and roads in the country and studies consistently rank its major city, Honolulu, among the worst cities for traffic. The INRIX Index has estimated that Honolulu drivers waste an average of 58 hours in traffic every year during peak travel times.
Honolulu is not paradise.
