News: HART breaks ground on Kakaako rail station

Posted on Sep 16, 2025 in Main

Island News

HART breaks ground on Kakaako rail station

By Kristen Consillio / Updated

HONOLULU (Island News) — A groundbreaking today for the third segment of Honolulu’s rail system that will eventually run from Kapolei to Kakaako.

The Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation — known as HART — officially started construction at the future site of the Civic Center Station in Kakaako.

This next phase will include the building of six rail stations and about three miles of railway by 2030.

And the city’s preparing to open in October the latest segment of Honolulu’s Skyline.

In two months, the second segment of Honolulu’s rail transit system will run from Kapolei through the airport, ending at the Middle Street Transit Center.

That’s more than a decade after the project first broke ground in 2011.

“We’re going to open segment two in the middle of October, which is going to bring the rail to a lot more places people want to travel mainly Pearl Harbor and the airport,” said Mike O’Keefe, deputy executive director at HART.

“That’s very exciting,” said commuter Irene Taum. “It’s going to be very convenient because usually it is kind of a long wait after you get off the rail and have to wait for the bus.”

And with construction for the final segment for now between Middle Street and Kakaako by 2030, the city’s expecting more people to use the rail system.

“Before the stadium we will be here, this sucker will be running,” said Honolulu Mayor Rick Blangiardi. “It’ll be great and we’re really excited about that.”

HART said it’s also a turning point for the controversial project.

“We didn’t have the trust from our major stakeholders,” said Lori Kahikina, HART CEO and executive director. “So 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 HART.”

And it can’t come at a better time for commuters who day in and day out, are battling traffic congestion across Oahu.

“It would get more cars off the street so less traffic and then also i think it would help people that are more time budgeted,” Taum added.

The start of construction means more congestion with road closures beginning in the Iwilei area, where workers will be drilling shafts for the columns that support the rail.

That will be weekdays and on some Saturdays from 6 a.m. to 5 p.m.