Archaeological Work For Honolulu Rail Project Ahead Of
Schedule
HART CEO and executive director Dan Grabauskas announced at
today’s HART board of directors meeting that archaeological
inventory survey work for the Honolulu Rail Transit Project
continues ahead of schedule, and that all the fieldwork is now
slated for completion in early December.
As of Wednesday, HART had 27 trenches left to excavate as part
of the archaeological work, having completed 205 of 232 trenches in
the city center portion of the rail route between Middle Street in
Kalihi and Ala Moana Center. Another 166 archaeological trenches
were completed earlier along the route between East Kapolei and
Middle Street.
“In addition to completing the archaeological work ahead of
schedule, our cultural monitoring program is also going well. The
monitors, who include descendants with ties to the area, are
watching over all of the trenching work to ensure it is being done
correctly,” Grabauskas said.
As for the recent discoveries of iwi kupuna during the
archaeological survey work, Grabauskas said HART “continues to work
closely with the State Historic Preservation Division, the Oahu
Island Burial Council and other stakeholders to ensure that iwi
kupuna are treated with sensitivity and great respect.”
To date, remains have been found at five sites, all in the City
Center section. In anticipation of potentially finding iwi in the
Honolulu area, HART has set up a protocol for the treatment of such
finds in coordination with SHPD, OIBC and other stakeholders.
When the fieldwork is completed, an extensive archaeological
inventory survey report will be drafted and submitted to the State
Historic Preservation Division for its approval.
“This archaeological survey is being done years in advance and
provides ample time to make any necessary design changes that may
be needed,” Grabauskas said.