Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation (HART) is seeking a public-private partnership to help fund its $8 billion rail project. The recommendation was made by Ernst & Young Infrastructure Advisors, which HART hired in 2017 to help the agency explore the possibility of using a P3.
“What we’re looking for is more budget certainty and more schedule certainty,” said Andrew Robbins, HART executive director, in a board briefing reported by a local media outlet.
The P3 will cover the final four-mile section of the 20-mile, 21-station project. Under the P3, tax dollars will be hard capped at $8.16 billion. The four-mile segment needs to break ground in 2019 in order for the system to be fully operational by December 2025.
HART officials want to issue RFPs to the private sector in July. HART also is considering awarding a 20-year contract for operations and maintenance of the entire rail system once its completed.
