Rising costs in Hawai‘i have harmed residents, but what if an average household could save around $25,000 to $35,000 over 10 years if it wasn’t for delays in construction projects like the rail?

Constant delays in Hawai‘i’s construction projects, from delays in projects to them exceeding the budget by billions of dollars, have cost the residents a large sum. Not only that, but the state legislature is standing by, allowing extended deadlines for surcharges that fund construction projects. Although tariffs are partly to blame for higher costs in construction materials, if construction projects were completed on time, tariffs wouldn’t have been an issue.

On the island, towering yellow cranes fill the horizon as many construction projects are underway, but many are past projected deadlines. One project includes the State Capitol. The capitol pool renovation will be an art installation projected to replace the commonly known reflective pools. The renovations on the State Capitol were scheduled to be completed this November, but are now pushed back to 2027 with no set start date, and  projected to cost 15% more than planned. Another project that has been underway is the Skyline. The Skyline, which started construction in 2012, was predicted to be completed in 2020, but delays have now pushed the rail’s completion to past 2030. Randal O’ Toole, a transportation expert and senior fellow at the Cato Institute, noted that New York’s Metro is almost 20 times bigger than our rail and yet costs less money and time. The Convention Center, which hosts festivals and sports tournaments, needs repairs after being more than 25 years old. The repairs were initially supposed to be a one-year, $51 million repair, but is now supposed to be a two-year, $87 million repair.

Then, why are these delays happening? Some people attribute this to the lack of hands. A large portion of the construction’s work force is near retirement, and with no new generation filling the void to repopulate the construction industry, it makes it hard for construction companies to fill the role of workers. 9% of construction workers are the “up and coming” generation, being ages 19-24, while 22% are above the age of 55, which are the “retirees.” The middle ground is 69% or workers ages 25-54. Although there may be less up and coming construction workers, most of the construction industry is filled with those who aren’t in the “retirement” age, so what is the issue?

As construction companies extend deadlines, the budget in which projects were set continue to go up. The Skyline’s estimated project cost in the full-fledged funding agreement in 2012 was $5.164 billion, but as of 2018 in the revised recovery plan, the project cost went up to $9.139 billion. As of 2022, the cost of the rail forecast was $12.45 billion, $7 million over budget. Increased project costs have led residents to pay for the added costs. In 2007, The City and County of Honolulu started collecting a 0.5% surcharge on general excise, which was supposed to expire at the end of 2022, but was granted an extension by the legislature till the end of 2030. This surcharge has cost residents $10,500 per person over the past 10 years. This has cost residents money, which could’ve been used to provide food or housing, amongst other basic needs. The extended surcharge, which already could’ve ended, could save families thousands of dollars. With Hawai‘i’s cost of living being high, these thousands of dollars could help families who are struggling to get by, and ensure that fewer families would have to leave the place which they call home.

The continuous delays in state projects begs the question of why isn’t our state doing anything to save the amount of money being used. As mentioned previously, Hawai‘i’s legislature granted an extension for the 0.5% general excise surcharge from the end of 2022 to the end of 2030. If the State knew the projected cost and budget in the rail’s full-fledged funding agreement, why aren’t they standing by their original agreement and allowing construction firms to go years and billions of dollars over budget? Construction companies should be held accountable for the budget they bid and should account for minor inconveniences. The State should hold these construction firms accountable as the residents shouldn’t have to pay for the mistakes.

Although prolonged construction projects have been an issue, others beg to differ, as once these state projects are completed, it will better our community. Some state that once projects are completed it will benefit our community. The Skyline would decrease traffic congestion and help limit the amount of traffic fatalities. Although the number of people riding TheBus has decreased over the last 10 years following the national trend, experts say, the rail should help increase the numbers using TheBus and public transportation. However, the culture of riding public transportation isn’t as big as cities like Tokyo or New York. If people aren’t riding TheBus, why would they change their habits now? In February of 2026, the weekday average of riders was 11,577 people, which is only 1.2% of O‘ahu’s population.

Delayed construction has been affecting our lives in more ways than expected. Although people say that these projects will benefit our community, how much harm has to be done before that? Do the pros really outweigh the cons?