A $1.66 billion contract has been awarded to build a 3-mile segment of the Honolulu rail that ends in the Kakaʻako area, the Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation announced Thursday. It's the last segment of the current rail project from Kapolei to Honolulu.
The City Center Guideway and Stations contract, which also includes six rail stations, has been awarded to the California-based Tutor Perini Corporation — one of the biggest construction companies in the country.
“This is another huge milestone for our rail project,” said HART Executive Director and CEO Lori Kahikina in a statement. “This is the largest single contract of the entire project and sets the course for completing the project through downtown Honolulu. We are excited to begin work with Tutor Perini to make this happen.”
Construction will begin east of the Middle Street Transit Center Station and end near the intersection of Halekauwila and South streets.
Project design for the last rail segment is expected to start next month, and building could start in the second half of 2025. HART said the construction will be finished in 2030.
The execution of the contract is expected to release another $250 million in federal funding from the amended Full Funding Grant Agreement, HART said in a news release. HART has so far received about $931 million from the grant.
The original grant agreement was signed in 2012 and provided $1.55 billion for the rail project.
The HART board discussed the contract in an executive session this week. It said it would release the video of that discussion, but has yet to do so.
The first section of the Honolulu rail system, known as Skyline, from East Kapolei to Aloha Stadium has been open to the public since summer 2023.
The second rail segment is scheduled to open in 2025, connecting the existing part to Middle Street, and adding stops for Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam and Honolulu airport.
More information about riding Skyline can be found at honolulu.gov/skyline.
