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It should come as no surprise that COVID-19 is so concentrated in states such as New York and New Jersey.

Only a forensic audit can explain how an all-inclusive $4 billion cost for completing 16 miles and 14 stations has ballooned to more than $10 billion for 20 miles and 21 stations.

The FTA failed miserably to provide effective oversight for the rail project. That makes it complicit, not just morally but legally.

The Legislature could halt the project by repealing the tax surcharge funding it, which would give the Honolulu City Council a tough choice.

Eliminating the final four miles of the current rail route and building the Nimitz Viaduct would provide better commuter service and avoid major disruption to downtown.

At more than $6 billion the rail project is on track to be, per capita, the “nation’s largest infrastructure fiasco.”

If today’s traffic is bad, then in 2035 with Hoopili and the rest of the planned developments, traffic will be severely congested.

Given Hawaii’s political and decision-making reality, there’s no point fighting rail. But we should fight for traffic congestion solutions.

Pondering the drop in a number of seemingly unrelated sectors.