LOS ANGELES - Honolulu Mayor Kirk Caldwell announced he has hired a transit expert to oversee Oahu's $6 billion rail project, which has experienced nearly $1 billion of cost overruns.
Caldwell said he hired Michael Burns, a transit management oversight consultant, "because rail is our largest public works project in the history of the state, and we need to ensure to the public that public funds are spent responsibly."
Burns, a 40-year transit veteran, has worked as a consultant on rail construction projects in Philadelphia, Boston, San Francisco and Santa Clara. He is currently a consultant in the San Francisco Bay area. His projects include advising Caltrain on the San Francisco commuter train's work to connect with the $69 billion California High Speed Rail project.
Caldwell asking the state legislature earlier this year to extend a 0.5% general excise tax beyond its current 2020 sunset to help cover $900 million in cost overruns on Honolulu's rail project.
Hawaii Governor David Ige signed HB 134, the law extending the GET until 2027, on July 15, with the caveat that Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation provide him with an annual progress report on revenue, costs and progress of the rail project.
The surcharge generated $248.5 million to support the rail project last year, and is expected to generate an additional $1.8 billion in revenue for rail during the five-year extension.
"Those of us who have worked extensively on rail are very close to it, and I know that a fresh set of eyes to review and provide oversight will be beneficial to the City, HART, and the City Council," the mayor said of the decision to hire Burns.
Prior to becoming a consultant, Burns worked for 15 years as chief executive of San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency and Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority.
He also has served on transit boards in San Francisco and Washington D.C. His board service includes serving as chair and a member over a six-year period for the San Francisco Caltrain Joint Powers Board, a two-year stint on the Transbay Terminal Joint Powers Board, and 10 years on the Eno Transportation Foundation Board in Washington, D.C.
