The following testimony was submitted by the Grassroot Institute of Hawaii for consideration by the Honolulu City Council Infrastructure, Transportation and Technology Committee on Sept. 24, 2025.
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Sept. 24, 2025, 9 a.m.
Honolulu Hale
To: Honolulu City Council Infrastructure, Transportation and Technology Committee
Radiant Cordero, Chair
Val Okimoto, Vice Chair
From: Grassroot Institute of Hawaii
Joe Kent, Executive Vice President
RE: Bill 60 (2025) — RELATING TO THE HONOLULU AUTHORITY FOR RAPID TRANSPORTATION
Aloha Chair Cordero, Vice-Chair Okimoto and other members of the Committee,
The Grassroot Institute of Hawaii opposes Bill 60 (2025), which would empower the Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transit to conduct studies and assessments for future extensions and require HART to prioritize the extension of the rail to the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa.
Grassroot is concerned that further extensions of the county’s Skyline rail project would require additional taxpayer resources without providing benefits to anyone other than to the parties directly involved in the construction of the rail.
To date, the project has run $5 billion over budget and at least a decade behind schedule. Cost overruns, lawsuits, poor planning and construction defects have plagued this boondoggle project from its inception.[1]
Furthermore, the Skyline’s average daily ridership figures have plateaued at around 3,000, which is far below original official predictions and a foreboding indication that the project will never have a meaningful effect on reducing Honolulu traffic.[2]
However, if the Council does decide to extend the rail to any point beyond the Civic Center, it should require independent, third-party cost estimates for any proposed construction plans.
Doing so still wouldn’t be enough to ease Grassroot’s worries about any extensions, but at least it might make it more clear to what extent Honolulu taxpayers might be on the hook financially for this dubious initiative.
Thank you for the opportunity to testify.
Joe Kent
Executive Vice President
Grassroot Institute of Hawaii
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[1] Kevin Dayton, “Financial Risks Loom Over The Honolulu Rail Project,” Honolulu Civil Beat, Sept. 22, 2025.
[2] “Skyline Ridership Summary,” Honolulu Department of Transportation Services, July 2025; and Jenn Boneza, “Skyline average daily ridership even lower than last year,” KHON2, April 18, 2024.
