In This Issue

	At $4 Billion, Rail is Favored
	Diverse Opinions on Sales Tax in North Strand
	Fl. Commuters Pay Hefty Fines for Cheating Tolls
	Skanska Proposes Truck-Only Toll Lanes in Atlanta
	Campaign Fueled by Gas Tax
	Rail Depends on Grapevine’s Vote

At $4 Billion, Rail is Favored

HONOLULU, Hawaii - A recent analysis has concluded that rail transit is the best option for Honolulu, even though it is the most expensive of the four options considered. At a cost of $3.6 billion to $4.6 billion, a rail system is the most energy efficient solution to ease traffic congestion, the year-long study has determined.

Mayor Mufi Hannemann said that while the cheaper of the two proposed routes will cost over $3 billion more than he wanted to spend, he is confident that the system will be funded through federal aid and an increase in the general excise tax. The city anticipates receiving $700 million to $1 billion in federal funding, as well as $150 million annually from the half-percent addition to the general excise tax beginning Jan.1.

The two routes recommended were a 20-mile option, running from East Kapolei to Ala Moana Center, or a longer, 28-mile option which would run from Kapolei to the University of Hawaii-Manoa. Estimated ridership by the year 2030 for the line would be about 90,000 for the shorter, $3.6 billion route, or 120,000 for the longer, $4.6 billion route, said city chief transportation engineer Toru Hamayasu.

Honolulu has been trying to develop a new mass transit system on O’ahu since 1972, when a 22-mile rail project in the city would have cost $550 million. In addition, the Congress offered the city $618 million to build rail transit 14 years ago, but the plan was rejected by the City Council with a 5-4 vote.

Driving in Hawaii is a challenge at best. Traffic is amazing unless you get far away from Honolulu. Kapolei is touted as the new downtown. It is growing rapidly with many people living in the area and business moving there to avoid the traffic problems downtown. Hopefully, after a couple of false starts, the city and state are ready to move ahead with a plan that can be implemented. TW

Diverse Opinions on Sales Tax in North Strand

South Carolina – Residents in Horry County, South Carolina will be voting on a referendum in November to ratify a one-cent, seven-year sales tax to fund transportation development. The majority of the projects on the list were in South Strand, save the paving and maintaining of rural roads. The NorthMyrtleBeachOnline interviewed residents in the North Strand area to see how they felt about the tax initiative.

Ron Busick, President of the North Myrtle Beach Citizen’s Association, said he was opposed to the tax increase, despite the seven-year, $425 million limit. “We need roads but when we impose a sales tax increase it disproportionately impacts those in lower income levels. Second, the $425 million is going to projects that do not involve North Myrtle Beach at all. The projects may be important in those areas but not one in fifteen projects impact the North Strand.”

Bob Weldon, Community Coalition of Little River Co-Chair, agreed with the referendum, but said it needs to be combined with a long-term infrastructure plan. “I’ve been in touch with SCDOT and their operating budget [base] has not changed in 20 years. Unfortunately, the county needs to fill the gap.”

Charles Randall, Democrat candidate for SC Representative from District 104, said, “If I was looking at it strictly for District 104, I would probably vote against it. None of the money for those roads will come to this area. But I’m looking at the bigger picture. There are areas that would be serviced by that money. So even though I would like to have some of that money for [District] 104, and that most of the money looks like it is going to the south end, it still appears that it is needful.”

“Therefore, I will more than likely support [the tax] because of what it will do for other areas.”

Fl. Commuters Pay Hefty Fines for Cheating Tolls

Florida – Troopers are cracking down on drivers who attempt to hide from the cameras so they can avoid the 75-cent toll on Florida’s Turnpike. Fines for the numerous motorists caught in the early hours of the blitz ranged from $87.50 in Broward County to $88.50 in Palm Beach County.

The toll evaders speed through the SunPass lanes even though they don’t have the transponder on their windshield that automatically deducts tolls. SunPass is the Florida Department of Transportation’s innovative system that allows drivers to pay without stopping at a toll booth.

Last year, the turnpike had 22 million unpaid toll transactions resulting in $20 million in revenue, said toll operations director Evelio Suarez. That’s $9 million higher than two years ago. Troopers believe the increase is because SunPass lanes have rapidly expanded from 143 in 2003, to 208 today.

Florida Turnpike officials say about 4 percent of drivers on the turnpike get through the toll plazas without paying, which is close to the national average of other toll roads. Just one percent are routine offenders, and sneak by dozens of times.

Drivers employ a variety of techniques to beat the system, and hide from the cameras, including blocking their tags or plates with plastic sleeves or photo blockers, or putting their hand in front of the numbers.

Skanska Proposes Truck-Only Toll Lanes in Atlanta

ATLANTA, Georgia – A proposed system of lanes dedicated to moving trucks through the metro Atlanta area may be one step closer to reality. Skanska USA Civil, the U.S. infrastructure arm of international construction group Skanska AB, has submitted a proposal to the Georgia Department of Transportation to create truck-only toll lanes along 1-285 and I-20 in northwest Atlanta.

The proposal is to design, finance, and construct a complete expansion of I-285’s northwest quadrant, adding two lanes in each direction and conducting multiple improvements along the corridor.

Using Georgia’s innovative Public-Private Initiatives program (PPI), Skanska estimates project completion in 2014, bringing improved safety and reduced congestion years ahead of any currently planned expansion.

“Our proposal is a logical extension of the truck-only and express-toll lane projects being planned for I-75 north of I-285,” said Randy Schultz, the Atlanta-based Director of Special Projects of Skanska USA Civil. “Extending this route along I-285 and I-20 provides a direct connection through Atlanta for truckers and increases safety for all motorists in the corridor.”

The I-285 and I-20 west interchanges are ranked in the top 20 worst truck bottlenecks in the nation, with truck volumes of more than 15 percent. Peak hour congestion in the region can last up to six hours.

Campaign Fueled by Gas Tax

Illinois – The debate between candidates for Kane County board is being fueled by whether to raise the gas tax two cents, to 4 cents-per-gallon, which is the maximum the county is allowed to tax on gas. District 19 candidate, Cathy Hurlbut (R), believes the increase would not affect consumers at the pumps, but instead would impact oil companies.

The nearby Dupage County is not paying higher gas prices even though they have the higher 4-cent-per-gallon tax, Hurlbut said. They do have more funding for road projects, though, she said.

Her opponent, Democrat Cathy Hamilton, said consumers would be affected. “Oil companies will pass the amount on to buyers and the consumer will have to pay the additional 2 cents per gallon,” she said.

Hamilton and the third-term incumbent agree on which roads should be funded first, starting with the projects for which the county has received federal and state funds that require a local match.

I thought the statement by Cathy Hamilton was interesting. Of course the tax would be passed on to the consumer. No one is going to absorb a tax increase in their business. There is really only one source of funding for public programs-the taxpayer. Even in a PPP environment where tolls are collected, at the end of the day it is a taxpayer that is financing the project. TW

Rail Depends on Grapevine’s Vote

GRAPEVINE – Approval from Grapevine voters over half-cent sales tax increase is crucial to the future of the proposed Cotton Belt commuter rail line, said the executive director of the Fort Worth Transportation Authority, Dick Ruddell. The tax is planned to help fund the $390 million line which will run from southwest Forth Worth to Dallas/Fort Worth Airport.

“If they don’t pass it, it doesn’t go. We can’t get to the airport without Grapevine,” Ruddell said. “The election is huge.”

The city will also be voting on a half-cent sales tax to fund a crime control and prevention district. The city’s sales tax rate will rise to 8.25 percent, or an additional $24 annually per consumer, if both taxes are approved.

Grapevine would get a station north of Dallas/Fort Worth Airport and one on Main Street downtown. A downtown station is predicted to increase nearby land value by as much as 11 percent and result in up to $100 million in renovations or redevelopment, according to Grapevine economic development manager Dan Truex.

Mayor William D. Tate is optimistic about both measures getting approval from voters. “The timing is right. The need is there, and the people see the need for the trains, and people see the need to touch up with some capital improvements in the city.”