News from the Honolulu Rail Transit Project

HART WEEKLY eNEWS

September 6, 2019

HART & HITACHI RAIL TO RAMP UP TRAIN TESTING

The Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation (HART) and its contractor Hitachi Rail

Honolulu Joint Venture (HRHJV) are expanding testing of the Honolulu rail system beginning today. Engineers will be extending the dynamic train testing segment by approximately 5.5 miles passing four stations in the area: Honouliuli (near Ho'opili), Hō'ae'ae (West Loch), Pouhala (Waipahu Bus Transit Center), and Hālaulani (Leeward Community College.

"We've reached the stage where it's now time to run our trains beyond the energized portion of the track in Waipahu," said HART Executive Director and CEO Andrew Robbins. "Dynamic testing will now run even further ewa along Farrington Highway eventually, all the way out to the Kualakai Station near the Kroc Center in Kapolei."


	HART's Initial Train Tests in 2018

HRHJV will be conducting several functional tests under varying conditions. The plan is to sequentially test stopping accuracy of the train, automatic and synchronous opening of train doors and passengers screen doors, automatic train and station announcements, and operation of trains from the control center at the Project's central hub.

The tests are scheduled to run from mid-September through next year. Hitachi and HART will continue to educate surrounding communities of the danger of the train movement and high voltage involved in this test as additional areas are added to the test segment.

"More and more of our track system is being energized. Any contact with the rail will cause serious injury and could be fatal," Robbins said. "There is no excuse for trespassing on rail property. We would urge everyone to


HART Tests Trains Overnight for the First Time

exercise extreme caution and avoid contact with the third rail."

The Honolulu rail system is considered government property and, as such, is a seven restricted area 24 hours a day and seven days a week.

The expanded training is scheduled to take place weekdays between 7 a.m. and 4 p.m. and weekends as needed. HART is targeting to extend this test area to cover the entire 11 miles of track for interim opening in January 2020 in preparation of interim opening by the end of 2020.

HART RECEIVES FTA APPROVAL OF ITS RECOVERY PLAN

The Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation (HART) has received approval from the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) of its Recovery Plan for the Honolulu Rail Transit Project.

"This is a significant milestone for our project," said HART Executive Director and CEO Andrew Robbins. "I particularly want to thank the FTA and the officials at the U.S. Department of Transportation for their thorough review and approval of the HART Recovery Plan. In

addition, thanks go to HART and City of Honolulu staff who worked hard to incorporate the changes the FTA required to achieve today's approval."

Robbins said the Recovery Plan approval clears the way for the FTA to release $744 million that is part of the city's Full Funding Grant Agreement with the Federal Government.

"Without this approval, receipt of hundreds of millions of dollars for the project would continue to be delayed," Robbins said. "We can now look forward to the day when those funds will again be available to the project following the award of the contract early next

year to build the City Center section, and to operate and maintain the rail system for the next 30 years."

Honolulu Mayor Kirk Caldwell said, "The FTA's approval of HART's recovery plan is more positive news for the project, and of particular importance is that any future public-private partnership for the last 4 miles from Middle Street to Ala Moana Center must either be equal to or less than the cost estimates submitted and approved by the Recovery Plan. It also underscores that construction of rail is currently being paid for by three main sources - Oahu's 0.5% surcharge to the general excise tax, a 1% increase to the hotel room tax, and the $1.55 billion Full Funding Grant Agreement, of which the recovery plan is a vital part."

The Mayor also added, "Counter to what opponents of the rail project continue to claim, the city remains on solid financial footing. The city subsidy towards construction of the project is limited to $214 million in CIP funds as stated in the Recovery Plan and has already been

approved by the City Council. The next step is for HART to successfully engage a P3 partner to build rail from Middle Street to Ala Moana. I will continue to demand transparency while this effort moves forward as this project is of significant importance to all of the people of O'ahu."

Honolulu City Council Chair Ikaika Anderson said, "(The) FTA response is an encouraging sign that HART is slowly overcoming the missteps of the past and the rail project is on its way to completion. It's important we recognize the collective efforts of HART, FTA, PMOC and the Council in achieving today's outcome"

The HART Board of Directors gave its approval to the Revised Recovery Plan back in early June.

Board Chair Damien Kim said, "I'm excited to hear the good news the Recovery Plan was accepted and signed. Thanks to HART, my colleagues on the Board, Mayor Caldwell, City Council Chair Anderson, and City Council for their contributions in making this happen. Now let's keep moving forward with this project and get it done as promised."