Hawaii’s $1.7 billion rapid transport project moves forward

Design and construction work for what has been billed as America’s first fully automated, driverless light urban metro system has received the green light.

The scope of the project in Hawaii includes the design and construction of six rail stations and around three miles of elevated rail guideway, beginning just east of the Middle Street Transit Center Station and ending at the Civic Center Station, which will be located just east of the intersection of Halekauwila Street and South Street in downtown Honolulu.

Construction firm Tutor Perini was awarded the $1.66 billion contract for the project, Newsweek reported in August.

A Tuesday press release from the firm said this contract has now been executed and a Notice to Proceed with the works has been received.

According to the Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation (HART), the public transit authority responsible for the system’s planning and construction, Skyline, as it is known, represents the largest public infrastructure project in the history of Hawaii.

“We are excited to partner with Tutor Perini to design and build the next segment of the Honolulu rail transit project, which will eventually take Skyline through the Downtown area and into Kakaako,” said HART executive director and CEO Lori Kahikina.

HART’s deal with Tutor Perini represents “the largest single contract of the entire project” Kahikina said previously.

Project design is expected to begin immediately while construction is estimated to get underway in the second half of 2025. Substantial completion of this segment of the rail system is slated for 2030.

Newsweek has contacted Tutor Perini for comment via email.

Separately, plans for a high-speed rail line connecting two of Texas’ largest cities made a step forward after reportedly receiving a $63.9 million federal grant for the project in August.

The proposed 240-mile route between Dallas and Houston could facilitate trains traveling at 205 miles per hour, offering a travel time of less than 90 minutes between the two locales.

According to Amtrak and Texas Central, the company behind the high-speed rail proposal, the project is estimated to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by more than 100,000 tons a year, removing 12,500 cars a day from Texas’ I-45. Still, it has faced pushback from local landowners.

“If we are going to add more high-speed rail to this country, the Dallas to Houston Corridor is a compelling proposition and offers great potential,” said Andy Byford, Amtrak’s senior vice president of high-speed rail development programs, in a 2023 news release announcing that Texas Central and Amtrak were exploring opportunities for the high-speed service.

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