Congressional appropriations committees provide another $250M for Honolulu rail project
News Release from Office of the Mayor June 30, 2015
Honolulu – The Hawaii Congressional Delegation successfully worked to include an additional $250 million in federal appropriations for construction of the rail project, Mayor Kirk Caldwell announced today. The United States Senate and House of Representatives appropriations committees included the funding in both of their Fiscal Year 2016 Transportation and Housing and Urban Development Appropriations Bills.
U.S. Senator Brian Schatz, a member of the Senate Transportation Appropriations Subcommittee, said: “We took an important step last week to make sure federal funding continues to flow to the Honolulu rail transit project. I will continue to work to make sure the Honolulu rail transit project has the funding it needs to stay on track.”
U.S. Senator Mazie K. Hirono said: “This funding is a reflection of our federal delegation’s continuing commitment to get the full funding for Honolulu’s rail transit project. As Hawaii seeks solutions to alleviate gridlock and improve transportation infrastructure, I will continue to fight for federal resources to support our state and local governments.”
Congressman Mark Takai said: “Ensuring that Hawaii has the necessary federal support to grow and thrive is one of my top priorities here in Congress. The full funding of the Honolulu Rail Transit Project in both the House and Senate shows how we as a delegation are pushing to deliver resources back home. I would like to thank my colleagues for their efforts and promise that we will continue to work hard for the people of Hawaii.”
Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard is currently out of the country and unavailable for comment.
The U.S. House passed its FY 2016 transportation appropriations bill earlier this month, and the Senate bill was reported from the Senate Committee on Appropriations on June 25.
The new installment of $250 million for Fiscal Year 2016 would be part of the project’s $1.55 billion in federal New Starts funding. If approved, it will be added to the $1.056 billion in New Starts funding committed or collected to date, for a total of $1.306 billion.
Mayor Kirk Caldwell thanked the Congressional Delegation for their success. “With the GET extension and the Congressional Delegation’s commitment to fulfilling the full funding grant agreement, the rail project will have the funding it needs to complete the East Kapolei to Ala Moana line.”
More information: http://www.honolulutransit.org/
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