What is going on with Hawaii's SkyTrain?

It's finally up, after years.

Honolulu has long awaited its promised Skytrain, and it's been a while, but it recently opened up in 2023. I've been waiting ages for it, and I'm sure you also have, so what took it so long, and what else is coming soon?

Past

Hawaii has long anticipated trains and public transportation, from the late 1960's, back when the mayor of Oahu was Neil Blaisdell. Lots of traffic was piling up in Oahu, and he looked for a train solution to the problem. Everybody knew that a mass transportation method was needed, just it was a question of what kind. His successor, Frank Fasi, took it a step further with his idea for a train system spanning 28 miles and going from Hawaii Kai to Pearl City. Sadly, it was shut down by his successor.

After Fasi won back his mayorship, he put the project back on track, and in 1990, the rail project looked to be golden, but it all came crashing down when a last-minute switch by one of the city councilmen caused the rail project to be canceled. The city councilwoman said that the project didn't have enough money. After that major setback, Fasi's successor set up bus transport, but it got shut down by the new mayor Mufi Hannemann. Hannemann promised that rail transportation wouldn't be a waste of taxpayer dollars, and after years of debate, the vote was put up.

Honolulu's Skytrain was announced and voted on in 2008, back when many public transportation services were just being put up. It was given the go-ahead, but work didn't start until 2012. So why did it take so long to start construction? Well, it's mostly because of funding issues.

Funding is the number one issue with many public transit systems around the world. Skytrain's problem with it was the ballooning cost of construction. Skytrain also had a lawsuit. So what is happening now, and what can we expect soon?

Future

Skytrain has big plans for the future, starting with its Phase 2. Phase 2 plans to implement new stations closer to Honolulu, and even contains Daniel K. Inouye Intl. It's slated to open in 2025, and it could revolutionize travel from the airport, and tourists, although not connecting to the majority of hotels and Downtown Honolulu. After Phase 2, there is Phase 3, although it is very far into the future, being forecasted to open in 2031, which is subject to change. It also has some more very futuristic plans, hoping to continue into Honolulu and connect Ala Moana and the east side of Honolulu to the system. So how will this system be beneficial to us?

It will reduce congestion on the southwest side of Oahu, near Aiea, and it will also be useful connections to TheBus services and also downtown Honolulu, and in the future will also reduce congestion in Downtown Honolulu. It could also connect people on the west side to work in downtown Honolulu and tourists to the west side. All in all, I love this project. It's a great way to get around Oahu for tourists and locals alike, and I think it's great. Unfortunately, it won't be as useful until it gets the extension into Honolulu, but I think this is a great way to use funds, and I like how it will reduce the traffic into Honolulu.