HONOLULU
TO RECEIVE MORE THAN $40 MILLION FOR RAIL TRANSIT, BUS ACQUISITION AND FACILITY
UPGRADES
August
13, 2009
FOR
IMMEDIATE RELEASE
WASHINGTON-Honolulu
will receive more than $40 million to buy 20 new buses, build transit
facilities and conduct preliminary engineering for a segment of the rail
transit project, U.S. Senator Daniel K. Inouye announced today.
Through
a grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation funded by the American
Recovery and Reinvestment Act, Honolulu will receive $40,649,148.
“The
transportation of our citizens and visitors is critical to the maintenance of
Honolulu’s economy.More than 70 percent
of the state’s residents live and work on Oahu,” said Senator Inouye. “These
funds will increase alternatives to driving and hopefully lessen the traffic
burden experienced by Oahu commuters.Additionally, these projects will create jobs and work for a
construction industry struggling with the current recession.”
The
funds requested in this grant will be expended on the following projects within
the City and County of Honolulu:
• Honolulu High-Capacity Transit Corridor Project ($4,000,000) - Conduct New
Starts Preliminary Engineering on the preferred Airport Alternative. This is a
local high priority project.
• Middle Street Inter-modal Center ($3,104,793) - Construct an interim 100
stall parking lot to support the transit center’s planned 1,000 stall parking
facility for tenants and park-and-ride commuters.
• Wahiawa Transit Center ($4,300,000) - Construct, inspect, relocate, and fund
project contingencies to establish a community transit center for express,
trunk, and circulator bus services.
•
Bus Acquisition Program ($19,345,207) – Purchase (20) 60-ft articulated
replacement buses, which will be assigned to high-passenger volume routes in
both urban and suburban areas.
•
Bus Stop Pad Improvements ($2,000,000) - Rehabilitate and renovate existing
concrete bus pads at various locations for enhanced delivery of public transit
services and to improve roadway conditions for drivers and pedestrians.
• Pearl City Bus Facility, Bus Parking Expansion ($7,899,148) - Expand the
existing bus parking lot, relocate perimeter sound barrier fencing, and install
new lighting fixtures.
