HI: Colleen Hanabusa resigns as Honolulu rail agency board chair

Colleen Hanabusa, chairperson of the Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation board of directors, is resigning from the body that governs construction of the more than $10 billion Skyline rail project, officials announced at Friday’s HART meeting.

HART Board Vice Chair Kika Bukoski noted Hanabusa, 74, offered her letter of resignation, effective Tuesday, following her absence from the board’s meeting in August.

In that Sept. 23 letter submitted to Mayor Rick Blangiardi, Hanabusa said : “It is with heavy heart that I submit my letter of resignation from the HART Board of Directors.

“I want to thank you and your administration’s years of support while I served on the Board. I do apologize for not meeting you in person to tender this resignation, ” she wrote. “Though the decision was made last month, I could not tender this without a face to face with you.

“Unfortunately, my inability to effectively serve has become obvious and I will have to delay my courtesy of a visit, ” Hana ­busa wrote. “Thank you again and I am certain your leadership is what will bring the project to completion. My resignation shall be effective the end of September 2025.”

Hanabusa departs from the board that she’s served on since Blangiardi appointed her to the panel in May 2021.

She previously served from July 1, 2015, to October 2016, a portion of that time as chair of the HART board, the rail agency stated.

Hanabusa, whose latest term would have run through June 30, 2026, could not immediately be reached for comment.

But those who served with Hanabusa on the 14-member board wished her well, following the announced resignation.

“Colleen has made tremendous contributions to this board, and to this project and again to HART in general, ” Bukoski said at the meeting. “And I’m going to miss her on the board.”

The mayor also commented on Hanabusa’s exit.

“I want to extend my deepest gratitude to Colleen Hanabusa for her years of dedicated and extraordinary service as chair of (HART ) board, ” Blangiardi said in a statement. “Colleen’s leadership, experience, and steady guidance have been invaluable to the progress of this critical project for our city.

“On behalf of the people of Honolulu, I thank her for her commitment and the many contributions she has made to moving Skyline forward, ” he added. “As we look ahead, we will work with the community to fill this important position and ensure that the board continues to benefit from strong, capable leadership.”

A lawyer by profession, Hanabusa’s time of service on the HART board followed her time in elective office.

In 2011, Hanabusa was elected by the voters of the First Congressional District to serve in the remainder of the 114th and the 115th Congress.

Previously, she’d served in the state Legislature, where she was president of the Senate in 2007, the first woman to lead either chamber.

In 2020, Hanabusa ran for mayor of Honolulu, but lost.

Two years earlier, she ran for governor of Hawaii, but lost in the Democratic primary.

With her legal background though, Hanabusa taught at the University of Hawaii Law School and at UH Manoa’s Political Science Department.

Moreover, she holds the distinction of being the only member of HART’s board of directors who signed the ceremonial Full Funding Grant Agreement with the Federal Transit Administration—which helps with the federal funding portion of the city’s multi-billion dollar rail project—in December 2012, HART’s website indicates.

At Friday’s meeting, Bukoski also read aloud the board’s formal resolution recognizing Hanabusa’s time of volunteer service to the board.

That resolution, in part, noted Hanabusa “emphasized fiscal responsibility, transparency, and open communication ” while on the HART board.

Other board members spoke on Hanabusa’s contributions.

Roger Morton—who currently works as director of the city Department of Transportation Services that operates Skyline—said he’s known Hanabusa since the 1980s.

“Colleen was instrumental in reforming TheBus system, working with some other elected officials even before she was elected to public office, ” Morton recalled. “She’s had a history of supporting public transportation in this community for many, many, many years.”

Anthony Aalto said he valued Hanabusa’s work ethic as the board’s chairperson. “It’s incredible how hard she works, ” he said. “I’ve had emails from her at 3 o’clock in the morning.”

“She brought experience and wisdom in Washington and with local officials here, ” he added. “And she has a memory like a steel trap ; you better be careful what you say to her because she will remember it.”

Aalto also reminded that Hanabusa’s interactions with rail officials—specifically, with HART Executive Director and CEO Lori Kahikina—“had been tough at times.”

Tension between Hana ­busa and Kahikina became public after the two had a contentious exchange during an April 2024 board meeting.

That rancor involved Kahikina’s ongoing tenure, which appeared tenuous at best following claims she’d fostered low morale and the loss of key staff and displayed a lack of leadership while running the rail agency.

Kahikina joined the rail agency in January 2021 as interim executive director and CEO.

But by September 2024, Kahikina had gained a new work agreement—a three-year, $336, 000 annual contract that started Jan. 1, 2025—that a majority of the board approved.

Hanabusa abstained from that vote.

In addition, Hanabusa also was embroiled in allegations she’d bullied and harassed Kahikina while serving as board chair.

In May 2024, Hanabusa said she had referred prior concerns about Kahi ­kina’s treatment by the board to the city’s Human Resources Department for investigation, in a move that Hana ­busa called “self-­reporting myself.”

Hanabusa would later say she’d step down as board chair but remain on the panel.

Still, on Oct. 25, 2024, Hanabusa was reelected to serve as chair. No board member other than Hanabusa—who did not refuse a nomination to stay on as chair—presented themselves as alternatives to her ongoing leadership.

Regarding the prior “self reporting ” incident involving Hanabusa, Scott Humber, the mayor’s communications director, said on Friday the city had investigated those allegations.

“The matter was brought to the Managing Director by Board Chair Colleen Hana ­busa … and as is his prerogative in a self-reporting situation versus a formal complaint, the Managing Director looked at and considered the totality of the circumstances and handled the matter through discussions with both sides, ” Humber said. “There was no formal report or written finding and the matter is considered closed.”

On Friday, Kahikina admitted that her working relationship with Hanabusa had been contentious at times.

“But despite the differences that we have had … I can honestly say I have learned quite a bit from her, ” Kahikina said. “I think I’ve changed … she’s definitely had an impact on me, good or bad, it definitely has changed me.”

Kahikina also noted that the city drafted a proclamation for the creation of “Colleen Hanabusa Day, ” and asked when that day should be enacted. “So I recommended Oct. 1 ; it’s fitting, that’s the day we’ll be handing over (rail’s Segment 2 to DTS ), ” she said.

Also at the meeting, Kahi ­kina held an o ‘o stick—this one used as a ceremonial digging tool during an Aug ­ust groundbreaking ceremony of Skyline’s Civic Center Stations project in Kakaako—which will supposedly be gifted to Hanabusa.

“And we do have a thank you card for her ” too, Kahi ­kina added.

Bukoski said besides the mayor’s proclamation, the Honolulu City Council is also expected to provide Hanabusa with a certificate of recognition “honoring ” her contributions to the rail project.

Meanwhile, Hanabusa leaves as rail’s Segment 2—which runs from the old Aloha Stadium, past the airport, to Middle Street in Kalihi—is scheduled to open to the public for revenue service on Oct. 16.

An official opening ceremony to be overseen by DTS will occur the day before, on Oct. 15, HART said.

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