Looking for something cool and green to do this Summer?  If you will be a high school junior or senior in Fall 2011, join your peers across America as they come together June 26-30, 2011 in Washington, DC to explore how partnering with public transportation can help promote better communities and a healthy environment.

With this all-expenses paid opportunity, you will:

• Experience 5 days in our Nation’s Capital
• Meet lawmakers and congressional leaders
• Participate in hands-on local transit tours
• Discover the wide range of exciting career paths within the transit industry
• Learn how public transportation is helping shape a brighter future

Please submit completed applications via email to: cpyatt@apta.com

To learn more and apply, visit http://www.apta.com/youthsummit

Application Deadline: must be received by Friday, April 22, 2011

To download the application, please click here.

(Tues., Feb. 22, 2011) – Honolulu’s rail transit project will create thousands of jobs and provide a badly needed transportation alternative that will benefit Oahu for decades and generations to come, Mayor Peter Carlisle said at the project’s ceremonial groundbreaking and blessing today.

“The Honolulu rail transit project will transform how we travel, work, play, and live,” Carlisle said. “The project is the effort of many people throughout the years. Rail will provide thousands of jobs for our local work force, relieve traffic congestion, improve mobility, and pave the way for an exciting future for Oahu residents. It is our gift to a better future.”

More than 400 people attended the ceremony, held along Kualakai Parkway (North-South Road) in East Kapolei, near the site of the first of 21 stations planned for the 20-mile rail route. Speakers included Carlisle, U.S. Sen. Daniel Inouye, Lt. Gov. Brian Schatz, City Council Chairman Nestor Garcia, and longtime West Oahu resident Maeda Timson.

The elevated rail system will stretch from Kapolei to Ala Moana Center and is expected to cost $5.5 billion. The project will include stations in communities such as Waipahu, Pearl City, Aiea, Kalihi, Chinatown, Downtown Honolulu, and Kakaako. There will also be stations at activity centers such as UH-West Oahu, Leeward Community College, Pearl Highlands, Pearlridge, Aloha Stadium, Honolulu International Airport, and Honolulu Community College.

The City has already awarded a construction contract for the first phase of the elevated rail guideway from East Kapolei to Pearl City. A second contract for the train storage and maintenance facility in Waipahu is expected to be executed shortly. The City is scheduled to award two more major contracts this year for the second phase of the rail route from Pearl City to Aloha Stadium and for the “core systems,” which consists of the train vehicles and the control center for the rail system.

Media Contact:  Louise Kim McCoy, Mayor’s Office, 768-7798
Original story »

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Congratulations to the following winners in the 2010 Youth for Rail Poster Contest!

	1st Place John Paul Nartatez, Farrington High School “Should Have Caught the Rail”
	2nd Place Erica S. Buxton, Farrington High School “Rail Relieves Road Rush Hours”
	3rd Place (tie) Catherine Johnny, Campbell High School “Benefits of the Rail”
	3rd Place (tie) Kody Castillo, Radford High School “The Future of Oahu”

We received many excellent entries from schools throughout Oahu. All of the posters displayed an impressive amount of innovation and vision, and were judged based on their overall appeal, message, creativity, and the accuracy of the technology depicted.

As the first place winner in this year’s poster contest, John will receive an Apple iPod Touch, and his poster will be published in print and on MovingUsForward.org, the official youth website for the Honolulu Rail Transit Project. The other top finishers will have their artwork posted on the website and used in future online and print campaigns.

A sampling of the other submissions can be found in the art gallery:

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MAYOR CARLISLE ANNOUNCES GOVERNOR’S ACCEPTANCE OF FINAL ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT

FOR HONOLULU RAIL TRANSIT PROJECT

Honolulu Mayor Peter Carlisle today announced the acceptance of the Final Environmental Impact Statement for the Honolulu Rail Transit Project by Gov. Neil Abercrombie, clearing the way for the project to move forward.

With the governor’s acceptance of the project’s Final EIS on the state level, the City anticipates that the Federal Transit Administration will issue a Record of Decision (ROD) that would allow the City to break ground on the rail transit system.

“Moving forward with rail transit creates much-needed jobs for our communities, provides long-term traffic relief and offers a dependable transportation alternative that starts us on the right path toward our preferred future,” said Carlisle.

The EIS, which had been submitted to the State Office of Environmental Quality Control, identifies environmental, community and economic benefits and impacts of the rail system as well as mitigation procedures for addressing these issues.

“The rail project EIS has been done prudently and is in compliance with state environmental law,” Carlisle added.

The Honolulu Rail Transit Project is a 20-mile elevated rail system connecting East Kapolei with Ala Moana Center. There are 21 stations in communities including Waipahu, Pearl City, Aiea, Kalihi, Chinatown, Downtown Honolulu and Kakaako. There will also be stations at activity centers such as UH-West Oahu, Leeward Community College, Pearl Highlands, Pearlridge, Aloha Stadium, Honolulu International Airport and Honolulu Community College.

The City has already awarded two construction contracts for the project: one for the first phase of the elevated rail guideway from East Kapolei to Pearl City; and the other for the train storage and maintenance facility in Waipahu. The city is scheduled to award two more contracts next year for the second phase of the rail route from Pearl City to Aloha Stadium and for the “core systems,” which consists of the train vehicles and the control center for the rail system.

“Many people contributed to this important journey,” Carlisle said. “I want to thank Gov. Abercrombie for accepting the project’s EIS, the former mayor, the City Council, Hawaii’s Congressional delegation, the state Legislature, labor and business organizations, the Federal Transit Administration and other federal partners who have helped us and pledged funding.”

Honolulu Mayor Mufi Hannemann announced today that the federal environmental impact statement (FEIS) has been released, reaching another major milestone for the Honolulu rail transit project. The mayor made the announcement in front of media and hundreds of supporters chanting “Go Rail Go” at Honolulu Hale.

“We Will Ride,” a youth group that supports the rail project, also attended the historic event.

Hannemann says they’ve collected 99.6% of the money needed to fund the rail. He says people need the jobs now and that west Oahu is in dire need of traffic relief.

“The studies we’ve been doing, the research we have been engaged in, the public meetings, the public input, all of that has reached this point where they’re saying the community, the economic the social impact and benefits of rail are good to go in the final environmental impact statement” said Hannemann.

Mayor Mufi Hannemann presented awards to the student winners of the Youth for Rail art and ad contests.   Special recognition was given to art and graphics teacher, Todd Yoshizawa, whose students captured four of the top six awards.  Mililani High School was the overall champion.  Accepting the award on behalf of the school was Dr. John Brummel.

3rd Place, Ad Contest: Taliya Hayes, Jesse Bayot & Nicole Mckewen for "Transition to the Future"

2nd Place, Ad Contest: Heather Saenz & Patrika Silva for "Moving Us Forward"

1st Place, Ad Contest: Brennan Mata& Chelsie Mangca-Valdez for "Transition to the Future"

1st Place, Art Contest: Edward Birtodaso for "Moving Us Forward". (Edward's mother accepted on his behalf.)

Special Award to Art & Graphics Teacher, Todd Yoshizawa

Overall Champion, Mililani HS. Accepting the award: Dr. John Brummel