Overview
The Honolulu Rail Transit Project's stations will be designed to serve the wide variety of passengers who will use the rail system. They will have features and amenities to provide users with a clean, comfortable and safe commuting experience.
Station Design
Each of the 21 planned rail stations will be individually designed to fit in with the community in which it is located and to best serve the expected number of passengers.
- The entrance of each community rail station will be based on residents' input from station design workshops to reflect the community's character and history. Buildings and landscaping may include local stone and native plant species. Artwork will be incorporated into station entrance buildings and plazas. Sustainability features, such as energy-efficient lighting and water-saving devices, will be included in the stations.
- Boarding platforms, located on the top level of the station, will have similar overhead canopies providing protection to riders from the sun and rain, as well as wind screens at seating areas.
- All stations will be designed to comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and local accessibility requirements.
- All stations will have stairs and elevators to provide access to platforms. Escalators will also be provided at most stations.
- Bicycle racks will be provided near station entrances and bicycles will be permitted on trains during non-peak travel times.
- Ticket-vending machines will be located near all station entrances. Stations will be designed to accommodate fare gates and a station manager's booth, should they be needed in the future.
- At stations with a concourse, patrons will be able to transfer between platforms without descending to street level. The specific layout will vary by station, depending on available space, the location of bus connections, and the number of passengers that will use each station.
Passenger Platforms
Platforms are the locations where passengers will wait for and board trains. Stations will have one, two or three platforms, which can be either a side or center type of platform. Side platforms have tracks on one side and will be 240 feet long and 12 feet wide. Center platforms have tracks on both sides and will be 240 feet long and 30 feet wide.
All platforms will be high-level (at the same level as the rail vehicle floor) to provide level boarding for all passengers and to accommodate wheelchairs, strollers, etc.
Stations will have one of three general configurations:
- Side platform without concourse
- Side platform with concourse
- Center platform with concourse
A concourse is a walkway (usually elevated) that provides access to, and connects with, platforms. Many project stations will have a concourse that allows passengers to get to the opposite side of the station to catch a train without having to cross the street, situated below.
The station designs will incorporate principles and concepts found in the Design Language Pattern Book created for this project.
Stations will include the following features:
- Entrance plazas
- Location and directional signage
- Stairs, elevators and escalators based on local conditions
- Full accessibility that meets ADA requirements
- Boarding platform(s) level with rail vehicle floors.
- Seating at the platform level
- Ticket vending machines
- Bicycle parking and/or storage
- Landscaping
- Lighting
- Station attendant
- Restroom(s)
- Security features such as closed-circuit video cameras and personnel
- Emergency telephones
In addition, some rail stations will have the following:
- Parking for commuters with vehicles (park-and-ride lots)
- Vehicle loading zones and short-term waiting areas (kiss-and-rides)
- Bus transit center
- Taxi, private shuttle and tour bus loading zones
