ATI The Alliance for Traffic Improvement

Seeking cost effective ways to reduce traffic congestion on Oahu

AND NOW FOR THE REST OF THE STORY…

Once more the press on Friday swallowed the Mayor’s line – whole and undigested.

The press reported him saying that the BRT buses will begin running on November 8. What the press did not report is that Federal Judge Susan Oki Mollway had already forced a delay in that start time in order that our request for a restraining order can be settled first. (see our earlier story)

The press reports the Mayor saying, “We've finally got a new kind of transit” but does not elaborate. What’s new? It’s a bus -- pure and simple. Yes it is an articulated bus, and, yes, it does have a hybrid diesel-electric engine. But it is still a bus.

The press reports, without comment, the Mayor saying the new buses will “reduce emissions by about 90 percent when compared to a normal bus.” What the press did not report is that the increased traffic congestion, caused by the city’s lane changes in Waikiki, has resulted in such greater vehicle pollution that it more than offsets any possible reduction we are likely to get from the new buses.

The press does report that the new buses cost more than twice as much as a regular bus, $400,000 more, but does not comment that this new service for Waikiki means less service for residents let alone whether such extravagance is worth it.

The press reported the Mayor saying that the new buses would cut “10 minutes off the existing travel time between Downtown and Waikiki” saying it “has been disputed by some BRT critics.” What the press could have said is that the City’s own estimate as shown in the Federal Environmental Impact Statement was only a 1.9 minute time saving. And that was for the full route with exclusive lanes, traffic signal priority, and mid-street stations at stops like Ala Moana Center. As planned for the November 8 start, there is none of that. So there is no way there can be any savings over the City Express Route B, which will still be the fastest route between Downtown and Waikiki by a long shot.

The press reports there is “mounting public opposition” but not why. They could have said that the opposition comes from the public’s recognition of greatly increased traffic congestion, the inability of ambulances, fire trucks and other emergency vehicles to operate along the changed Kuhio Avenue, and the difficulties that bus drivers, both public and private, and goods deliverers, have in navigating their vehicles in this area.

One person interviewed said that she wouldn’t use the new bus but said that, “the new route may be more useful to tourists.” That last line is really the rest of the story.