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.
"If history is any indication, the $3.7 billion projected price tag for Honolulu's commuter rail system could climb before the project is finished in 2017."
"City officials hope to avoid a repeat of history by including a $1 billion buffer in the price tag for Honolulu's planned 20-mile commuter rail system. That should reduce the risk of cost overruns, said Toru Hamayasu, chief of the city's transportation planning division."
"However, the actual cost of Honolulu's rail project could still vary widely from preliminary estimates, according to an October 2006 report by project consultant Parsons Brinckerhoff. The consultant warned that the then $3.6 billion cost estimate could be anywhere from 30 percent too low to 25 percent too high."
"Honolulu taxpayers are expected to bear about $3 billion of the project's costs via a half-percentage point excise tax surcharge that expires in 2022. They could be asked to pay more, if the project's cost exceeds expectations."
FULL STORY: Rail may cost more than budgeted $3.7B
Honolulu $500 Million Short for Rail Project
The city of Honolulu is $500 million short of what it will need to fund the $5.3 billion commuter rail system voters approved last fall.
Expanding Access to Design Education at Honolulu Community College
Honolulu Community College’s Architecture, Engineering & Construction Technologies program highlights the role of community colleges in preparing nontraditional students for careers in architectural and construction technologies.
Honolulu Community College Celebrates Culture and Sustainability
Honolulu Community College brought together more than 320 students, staff, and community members for a day of Hawaiian cultural activities, music, and sustainability-focused learning at its annual Hoʻolauleʻa celebration.
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
San Francisco's School District Spent $105M To Build Affordable Housing for Teachers — And That's Just the Beginning
SFUSD joins a growing list of school districts using their land holdings to address housing affordability challenges faced by their own employees.
The Tiny, Adorable $7,000 Car Turning Japan Onto EVs
The single seat Mibot charges from a regular plug as quickly as an iPad, and is about half the price of an average EV.
Seattle's Plan for Adopting Driverless Cars
Equity, safety, accessibility and affordability are front of mind as the city prepares for robotaxis and other autonomous vehicles.
As Trump Phases Out FEMA, Is It Time to Flee the Floodplains?
With less federal funding available for disaster relief efforts, the need to relocate at-risk communities is more urgent than ever.
With Protected Lanes, 460% More People Commute by Bike
For those needing more ammo, more data proving what we already knew is here.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
Smith Gee Studio
City of Charlotte
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
US High Speed Rail Association
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
Municipality of Princeton (NJ)