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On Monday, city of Honolulu officials broke ground on the $8.2 million Middle Street Transit Center.

To be completed by October 2010, the bus center eventually will be integrated with a commuter-rail station to be built adjacent to the facility. Honolulu plans to construct a 20-mile elevated line that would connect West Oahu with downtown Honolulu and Ala Moana, and eventually extend to Honolulu International Airport, Waikiki, the University of Hawaii-Manoa and Kalaeloa.

So far, cost estimates for the Honolulu Rail Transit project are lower than expected and the city has generated $12 million more dedicated tax revenue than anticipated in fiscal-year 2009, said Honolulu Mayor Mufi Hannemann in a prepared statement.