Aerial Ropeway Transit as a Catalyst for Sustainable Urban Growth in Honolulu

Abstract

Oahu’s transportation infrastructure is one of the most vital components of its built environment, providing passage for social, cultural, and economic exchange. However, current patterns of urbanization have led to an auto-centric landscape, limiting the development of people-centered communities. And, as both population and road congestion have continued to swell, the existing transportation network has struggled to provide fluid and direct access to critical urban nodes, further leading Oʻahu towards unsustainable growth.

Current mitigation strategies propose to strengthen Oahu’s transit network by transitioning people from their automobiles to a more transit-oriented lifestyle by way of a new rail transit system and transit oriented development policy. While the rail project does have the potential to positively redirect Oahu’s urban development, its existing route terminates at Ala Moana Shopping Center, leaving several critical urban locations disconnected from the project’s sustainable development strategies. It has been projected that the future Ala Moana Rail Station will have 22,610 people exiting and entering the station daily–a majority of whom are expected to travel eastward of Ala Moana. In addressing the disconnection, this research proposes to integrate aerial ropeway transit as a new mode of public transportation, supporting more livable, connected communities beyond the rail terminus.

These advantages include lower operating costs, smaller construction footprints, greater route flexibility, and a more engaging rider experience. A literature review, based on O’ahu’s sustainable development and transportation strategies, is used to gain thorough understanding of the relationships between transportation and development, in addition to constructing a framework that proposes appropriate route alignments connecting Waikiki, UH Manoa, and Kaimuki to the Ala Moana Rail Terminal. Furthermore, a site analysis and various case studies are used to further support the system’s potential to catalyze sustainable growth by increasing mobility and access between urban destinations.

Universally, ART is still a relatively new method for providing Oahu’s transportation infrastructure is one of the most vital components of its built environment, providing passage for social, cultural, and economic exchange. However, current patterns of urbanization have led to an auto-centric landscape, limiting the development of people-centered communities. And, as both population and road congestion have continued to swell, the existing transportation network has struggled to provide fluid and direct access to critical urban nodes, further leading Oʻahu towards unsustainable growth.