Washington, D.C. -- Congressman Neil Abercrombie today said a $3-million federal grant will enable the City and County of Honolulu to launch its planned demonstration project that will offer Leeward Oahu commuters an opportunity to travel by ferry between Ewa and downtown Honolulu.

"This demonstration project will finally make it possible for Leeward Oahu commuters to use an intra-island ferry system to travel to and from work between Ewa and Honolulu Harbor,” said Congressman Neil Abercrombie (Hawaii, First District). “It’s a demonstration project that’s definitely needed to help the City to develop and to implement transportation alternative plans that will ease the growing traffic congestion problems on Oahu. This project could very well produce a permanent ferry system to complement the proposed rail transit system which I will continue to support on the federal level."

Abercrombie says the funding from the U.S. Department of Transportation will go to the City’s Honolulu Intra-Island Ferry Demonstration Project which will use existing vessels and infrastructure to expedite implementation. The project will also include the use of city buses to help commuters to travel to and from the ferry’s departure points at Kalaeloa and Honolulu Harbor. The estimated 23-mile ferry ride between Kalaeloa and Honolulu is 44 minutes.

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