HONOLULU (KHON2) — The second phase of Honolulu’s Skyline rail system is set to open next week, taking riders from Aloha Stadium to the Kalihi Transit Center on Middle Street. It will add four additional stops to the Skyline route, including Daniel K. Inouye International Airport and Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam.
“This is 5.2 miles additional, but it gets us through the next four stops all the way to Middle Street. The real key to this is the two employment centers of Pearl Harbor and the airport. And, for that matter, people just going back and forth to the airport,” said Honolulu Mayor Rick Blangiardi.
Skyline has, as expected, struggled with ridership, with segment one being referred to by some as a “train to nowhere.” Blangiardi thinks the addition of these destinations will have a massive impact on the number of people riding.
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“We’ve been averaging about 3,500 visitors a day. Our goal is to build it to 25,000 a day on this segment, ultimately, when we get to South Street Halekauwila. In five years from now, we think it’ll be about 85,000 a day,” Blangiardi said. “So this is a whole new era.”…