Trains will begin running this month on two long-awaited passenger-rail lines in Honolulu and Los Angeles. On June 30, a fixed guideway and elevated system will begin passenger operations in Honolulu on an 11-mile stretch between the East Kapolei and Aloha Stadium stations. The Honolulu Department of Transportation Services will operate the line, assuming control from the Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation (HART), which is overseeing project construction. "This is truly a momentous and historic day for the island of Oahu," Honolulu Mayor Rick Blangiardi said at a May 10 press conference announcing the new line's opening date. "This marks the culmination of decades of hard work, perseverance and overcoming difficult challenges of every kind." Construction on the project began in 2011 and has been plagued by repeated delays, cost overruns and executive leadership changes. In October 2022, the Federal Transit Administration approved HART's recovery plan to complete the project within expected funding levels. With the FTA's approval, HART became eligible to receive the remaining $744 million in federal dollars under a full funding grant agreement (FFGA). It was the first infusion offederalfunds from the FFGA to the project since 2017.
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