On November 4, 2008, Honolulu voters are being asked to say yes or no to a proposed amendment to the Honolulu charter:

Shall the powers, duties, and functions of the city, through its director of transportation services, include establishment of a steel wheel on steel rail transit system?

A “yes” vote means that the proposed $4+ billion rail project is full steam ahead, while a “no” vote would, by all accounts, kill it. Resolution 08-166, CD1, which put the issue on the ballot, is available here.

If the voters approve of the project, it will be the largest public works development in Hawaii’s history, and will require the acquisition of private property, either by purchase or eminent domain. In this post, we discussed an earlier report in the Honolulu Advertiser, “189 Hawaii properties in transit’s path,” which detailed the proposed rail route and some of the…

Continue Reading D-Day Draws Nigh For Honolulu Rail, Condemnations