The city agreed yesterday to temporarily halt construction on the $5.26 billion rail project apart from some short-term tasks required for an orderly shutdown, according to statements from the Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation and the Native Hawaiian Legal Corp.
NHLC lawyer David Kimo Frankel met with city and rail officials Monday afternoon and issued a statement that "it is our understanding that the city has halted construction of the rail project."
Later in the afternoon the Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation offered a brief statement confirming the shutdown.
"HART is working with its contractors to determine what work will be necessary for public health and safety, to secure and maintain the job sites, or to otherwise responsibly wind up ongoing activities," the statement said.
"All parties involved have agreed to work together to address any issues that may arise in the coming weeks," it said.
Native Hawaiian Legal Corp. sued the state and the city over the rail project on behalf of Paulette Kaanohiokalani Kaleikini, alleging the city improperly began construction before completing a required archaeological inventory in the path the rail line would follow.
The Hawaii Supreme Court ruled Friday that the State Historic Preservation Division violated its own rules by allowing the project to proceed before the survey was complete.
