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It's not just the tourists who would ride a train that served Waikiki, even though many of them would. What about the workers? What with all the hotels and restaurants and shops there, there must be thousands of relatively low-wage jobs there, all packed in to a small, densely populated area. If that's not a recipe for transit success, I don't know what is.
So why won't it be going there? Was it blocked due to concerns about the aesthetics of having an elevated train running through the area? (I assume it would be elevated, right? The water table would be too high for a subway, I would think.) Was it deemed too expensive to extend the line there? What's the story on that?
"The new FIS will benefit Hawai‘i in several ways. The Hawai‘i Department of Transportation estimates new international flights to Kona will result in more than $7 million in annual projected tax benefits. International visitors will also spend tens of millions of dollars at local businesses and attractions, further boosting the economy and generating jobs. Hawai‘i has seen the numbers of international travelers increase by more than one million passengers, or nearly 60 percent, since the economic downturn in 2009. The trend in international passenger arrivals in Hawai‘i is expected to continue to grow, enhancing the need for a second airport to accept flights from international destinations.
The secondary international point of entry in Kona will ease congestion at the Honolulu International Airport, especially during daily peak hours and busy travel seasons. The FIS will improve health and safety by increasing resiliency in an emergency. Should an unforeseen incident occur in Honolulu, international flights would still be able to land safely in Kona. Currently, Honolulu is the only landing option in the state for international flights."
Easing congestion has absolutely nothing to do with being at capacity. Seriously.
I hate to tell you - but the statement really means it's easier to go direct to Kona than deal with a connection to get to Kona. Not Kona to get to Honolulu.
I appreciate your opinion, but I'll continue to believe what the CBP guys tell me. Being at capacity doesn't mean that the facility has long lines etc, it simply means that there is no way to expand the operations beyond current capacity. Maybe next time you are going through HNL customs, you can look around and envision where they might expand to- there isn't any available real estate.
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