Independent UCLA professor, BrianTaylor, states that rail is effective in very large cities - but BRT is much better for Honolulu. He also said: "This Rail project, I guarantee you, is going to cost substantially more than they're projecting." This well-balanced report should make it very clear to all that Ben's FAST plan is the way to go! PLEASE SHARE THIS WITH OTHERS!
"Mitt Romney has been giving his volunteers a free sweatshirt for making phone calls on his behalf. The sweatshirts are just like Romney, 100 percent reversible." -Jimmy Fallon
UCLA Prof. Brian Taylor doesn't have a stake in the battle over Oahu's transit future. However, the transportation policy and planning expert does offer a unique perspective on what would be best for the island's transit needs – the city's proposed $5.3 billion rail project, or a bus rapid transit system.
"When you look at the size of Honolulu (and) you look at the transportation problem they're seeking to solve, BRT is almost certainly a better investment," Taylor said Friday in a telephone interview with KITV4. "Big Rail System types of investments are essential to keep very large, very densely developed cities functioning effectively, and so they're often the best investment that can be made," explained Taylor. "You have to take all that capital cost for the system, and you have to divide it over the riders you have."
"I Walk The Line" ... Johnny Cash
Taylor's research shows one of the greatest factors in determining a transit system's appeal is the ease with which riders can get to a transit line, whether it's BRT or rail. If a rider needs to go through various steps like walking, driving or transferring to get to a final destination, the less likely he or she is to use public transportation.
"So, making the vehicle a little bit faster is not nearly as important as having a cutting down of the wait time," he said. Honolulu's controversial rail project could hinge on next month's mayoral election. Former acting Mayor Kirk Caldwell, who supports rail transit, faces former two-term Democratic Gov. Ben Cayetano.
Cayetano has promised to kill rail transit and prefers a hybrid plan he calls FAST, which features a BRT system, an elevated Nimitz Highway flyover, and short underpasses along Kapiolani Boulevard at a projected cost of $1.5 billion.
Taylor is currently an Associate Director of the University of California Transportation Center, Chair of the Transportation Research Board of the National Academies Federal Transit Administration Transit Economic Requirements Model review committee, and a Fellow in the American Institute of Certified Planners.
Pub's Side Note: Population of cities with succsesful Rail systems. 1, Tokyo, Japan - 32,450,000, 2. Seóul, South Korea - 20,550,000, 3. Mexico City, Mexico - 20,450,000, 4. New York City, USA - 19,750,000. Tokyo alone has over 32 times the population of the entire state of Hawaii. Use your head, Red.
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