ATI The Alliance for Traffic Improvement

Seeking cost effective ways to reduce traffic congestion on Oahu

Myth #1 — “Honolulu needs ‘light’ rail.”

First, no one is proposing ‘light’ rail for Honolulu, they are proposing ‘heavy’ rail. ‘Light rail’ and ‘heavy rail’ are very precise terms.

Light rail runs in the street for a significant part of its route and takes its power from overhead as in Portland, Sacramento and San Diego.

Heavy rail is totally separated from the street and takes its power from below — the proverbial third rail — as in New York, Washington DC and Miami.

OFFICIAL DEFINITIONS

 Heavy rail is what is being proposed for Honolulu. However, proponents prefer to use ‘light’ rail since it is a more saleable term; heavy rail is not.