Mayor Mufi Hannemann is proposing a $2.1 billion capital improvement budget for next year, the largest ever introduced by a Honolulu mayor.

Hannemann said he is subscribing to the Franklin Delano Roosevelt approach to tackling a bad economy. "When the economy is slow, you pump the economy with infrastructure work," he said. "These are all essential infrastructure work that needs to be done."

More than half of the CIP budget, $1.3 billion, is targeted for the city's planned $5.5 billion mass transit project. That's on top of $1 billion that is being released for the project this year.

The budget also calls for nearly $400 million in sanitation projects, including $142 million for solid-waste facility expansion, $139.5 million in force mains for the Ala Moana Wastewater Pump Station, $90.7 million for a Kāne'ohe /Kailua force main project and $23.6 million for improvements at the Kailua Wastewater Treatment Plant.

Other infrastructure projects proposed include:

• $185.5 million for West O'ahu traffic improvements.

• $77 million for rehabilitation of streets across the island.

• $17.7 million in bus and Handi-Van acquisitions.

• $17.1 million for a new Alapa'i Transit Center and Alapa'i Transportation Management Center.

• $9.9 million for police and fire equipment purchases.

• $5 million to replace the Wai'anae Police Station.

• $4.5 million for a new East Kapolei Fire Station.

Hannemann also is proposing a senior community center at the former Wailupe Valley School in East Honolulu and a new Nānākuli Regional Park.