HONOLULU -- Despite objections from the local transit industry, the transportation committee of the Honolulu City Council approved adding a third bus rapid transit line through Kakaako Wednesday.
Under the plan, a new branch of Bus Rapid Transit project, known as BRT, would run through the Kakaako waterfront area, stopping at locations such as Coral Street and Kewalo Basin.
Councilmembers also approved a change in the King Street route, so that it run makai through Pensacola Street instead of Ward Avenue.
The BRT project is expected to cost the city about $1 billion over 20 years. Critics are upset that the system will restrict as many as two lanes of Dillingham and Kapiolani boulevards to buses only.
"We believe that the proposal will exacerbate traffic congestion," Charley's Taxi owner Dale Evans said. "Our customers and our drivers are doomed to severe and chronic traffic congestion under the BRT."
City transit officials promised to continue meeting with members of the transit industry to find some sort of compromise.
The plan faces a final council vote in August. The city is in the process of conducting an environmental impact statement, which should be completed by the beginning of 2002.
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