Excerpts from a press release Wednesday (Oct. 3) from the Kirk Caldwell campaign for Honolulu mayor regarding Ben Cayetano’s transit plan:

 “First off, what Cayetano offers is absurd and will not fix Oahu’s growing traffic problems,” said Caldwell. ”It does not provide an answer and will only add to the current and future traffic congestion. His plan to add Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) bus lanes will take away the crucial lanes we currently have, and drivers will have to squeeze into other lanes which will only exasperate and worsen congestion.” …

Caldwell said that Cayetano’s unveiling just weeks before the general election is nothing more than a political game as it includes unrealistic construction and operating costs with very little time for review from the experts. …

“The bottom line is that Ben’s transit ‘plan’ will cost more and not fix the traffic problems,” said Caldwell.” By the time he attempts to form solid plans, it will cost much more than his stated $1.1 billion. Based on previous similar plans, a more realistic price tag would be $2.5 to $3 billion. Add to that, the current construction, penalties and legal expenses of stopping rail transit at an estimated $1 to $2 billion, and the loss of the $1.55 billion expected FTA funding.”  …

—Chad Blair