HONOLULU (KHON2) — With Skyline’s next phase breaking ground on Aug. 11, some Kakaʻako businesses are already bracing for construction headaches.
With the ceremonial turning of the soil and Hawaiian blessing, the city’s long-anticipated Civic Center Rail Station project is underway.
“We’ve come a long way. We still have a long way to go, but I think we’re starting to turn the tide, starting to change the public perception of [Honolulu Authority for Rapid transportation],” said Lori Kahikina, executive director and CEO of HART.
This third phase, known as the City Center Guideway and Stations segment, will include about three miles of elevated guideway from the Middle Street transit center to the Civic Center Station at the intersection of Halekauwila and South Streets.
It will have six new stations and comes with an ambitious target.
“We’ll have this done before the stadium. Okay, I’m gonna tell you that right now,” said Honolulu Mayor Rick Blangiardi.
The work ahead is massive. Utility relocation work is already underway. Crews will first drill shafts for the support columns starting in Iwilei, with work running weekdays and some Saturdays from 6 a.m. to 5 p.m., and will mean some road closures across multiple neighborhoods: Kalihi, Iwilei, Downtown, and Kakaʻako until construction wraps up in 2030.
Some Kakaʻako businesses say they’re taking a “wait and see” attitude on how construction will impact them, but they do have their concerns.
“We may have to extend for parents, give them a little pick up time in case they have to be stuck in traffic,” said Eryk Cheek, caregiver at Children at Aloha Academy.
The small preschool is tucked away on Halekauwila Street and worry about years of noise, lane closures and traffic disruptions.
Meanwhile, HART says Phase 2 — the stretch from Aloha Stadium to Middle Street — is in its final trial runs. Testing is expected to be completed in mid-September, with passenger service planned to begin in mid-October.