Hawaii

Politicians in Washington D.C. are getting behind Honolulu's plans for a $3.7 billion light rail system, calling it the "most efficient light rail project in the country".

The costs of Honolulu's planned commuter rail system have been estimated at nearly $4 billion, but that price tag is expected to rise further as the system develops.

This editorial from the Hawaii Reporter argues that plans for transit oriented development are "based in communist and fascist thinking" and that building rail and TOD will be bad for Hawaii's families.

The American Institute of Architects has come out against plans to include elevated tracks as part of the layout of Honolulu's proposed light rail system.

The 866-passenger Hawaiian Superferry has begun operations despite months of controversy over its environmental consequences. With an environmental impact statement due in 18 months and plenty of opponents, the Superferry is not yet in the clear.

Residents on the Hawaiian island of Kauai are rallying together to oppose the island's overdevelopment. Their main rallying point is the contentious inter-island "Superferry".

Plans to expand the amount of beach available in front of two hotels in Honolulu are meeting opposition from local surfers and environmentalists. But some say the beach has already been engineered beyond its natural state and more won't hurt.

Developers of an oceanside resort and housing complex in Hawaii have significantly reduced their project's scope in an effort to win over wary neighbors and public officials. But the project is slated for a plot where "resorts" are prohibited.

The controversy over whether the environmental impacts of Hawaii's new "Superferry" should have been assessed continue. The large ferry boat sits idly in a harbor in Honolulu.

"ViralKauai" posts a self-made video on YouTube pointing out the problems from overdevelopment of the beautiful island of Kauai.

Plans for an inter-island "superferry" may be stalled in Hawaii as environmental groups and the State Supreme Court have called for a more extensive environmental impact review of the harbor expansions the ferry system would require.

This editorial from the Honolulu Star-Tribune looks at Oahu's traffic issues and how the baby steps proposed by the Honolulu City Council may be more effective than grand-scale transit plans.

The city of Honolulu, Hawaii, has received initial approval for a $20 million federal grant for engineering studies on a planned rail system in the city.

On the Hawaiian Island of Kauai, small towns are grappling with plans to develop more than 4,500 housing units. Of the most concern to residents is the increased traffic and strain on roads, so they have proposed a circulation plan.

Several projects on the Hawaiian Islands have run into unmarked grave sites, causing delays and creating controversy over moving sacred remains.

Officials in Honolulu is considering increasing the height limitations that dictate how tall buildings can rise in the beachside city. The mayor and city council hope that an increase in density will bring sustainable growth to the city.

The Planning Director for Maui, Hawaii, Jeff Hunt, prepares to take on a new general plan process. He was formerly the director of community development in the Rocky Mountain resort town of Breckenridge, Colorado.

Hawaii's housing boom and other factors like high rents and a shortage of developable land mean that housing is often out of reach for the state's working poor. As a result, Hawaii has one of the nation's largest homeless populations.

In Oahu, lawmakers are having trouble agreeing on the best path for a proposed light rail line. The Honolulu mayor wants a different path than that approved by the city council. But it is not even certain if the proposed line will be rail or bus.

The homeless population increases in Oahu, and the entire state of Hawaii struggles with a shortage of affordable housing. To deal with the problem, state officials have said that 30,000 housing units will be needed in the next two years.