On Tuesday, the Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation (HART) board rejected a termination resolution that would have seen the P3 procurement of the Honolulu Rail Transit Project terminated.
Although the majority of board members were in favor of withdrawing the P3 contract, 7-2, the vote had to be unanimous to come into effect.
“All of the concerns that have been expressed regarding the P3, and whether we move forward or not, are actually not only going to exist but they more likely will be exacerbated if we cancel the P3,” said HART board member Kika Bukoski, who voted against the motion.
Despite intense lobbying by groups opposing the P3 procurement, including by Mayor Kirk Caldwell, who recently said in a local newspaper column that the project was “no longer possible”, as it stands the project is set to continue with its procurement.
HART’s chief executive, Andrew Robbins, recently said that he was looking to award to project “as soon as possible.”