Report Title:

Traffic lights; speed limits

Description:

Calls for lengthening of traffic light changes and adoption of speed limit recommendations from the engineering study.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H.B. NO.

1848

TWENTY-FIRST LEGISLATURE, 2002

 

STATE OF HAWAII

 


 

A BILL FOR AN ACT

 

relating to traffic.

 

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

SECTION 1. The legislature finds that in light of the recent commencement of the traffic enforcement demonstration project, it is crucial that its objective is successfully carried out. The Department of Transportation repeatedly stated that the intent of this program is to increase safety and not to issue tickets. Consequently, the project's photo imaging detectors should ticket only those vehicles which are traveling in such a dangerous manner that they place the safety of pedestrians, property, and other drivers at risk. Specifically, the photo red light imaging device should only photograph those vehicles which blatantly violate a steady red signal despite a sufficient steady yellow warning signal, and the photo speed imaging detector should photograph only those vehicles which are traveling in excess of a scientifically determined safe and sensible speed limit for that particular roadway.

The legislature finds that lengthening the display time of the warning yellow signal would result in an increase of safety by:

(1) Allowing pedestrians more time to finish crossing the roadway, thereby putting them out of harm's way from the impending green signal of the opposing traffic-control signal; and

(2) Allowing vehicles more time to finish traversing the road, thereby ensuring that no vehicles are in the intersection when the opposing traffic-control signal changes to a green signal.

In conjunction with the above, another way to assure intersection safety is to lengthen the delay time between one set of traffic lights changing to red and the opposing set of traffic lights changing to green. These modifications to the traffic-control signal ensures that the photo red light imaging device will only ticket those vehicles who unmistakably and dangerously disregard a steady red indication.

The legislature also finds that a comprehensive review of the speed limits on state and county roads through an engineering study will produce appropriate speed limits that minimize a motorist's risk of an accident for a particular segment of the road. Although all roadways are evaluated through an engineering study before a speed limit is established, the state and county agencies are not required to adopt the study's speed limit conclusions and recommendations. Therefore, existing speed limit signs do not necessarily reflect the most reasonable and prudent speed limit.

The purpose of this Act is to call for:

(1) The lengthening of the display of the steady yellow indication on traffic-control signals;

(2) The lengthening of the delay time between one traffic-control signal indication changing to red and the opposing traffic-control signal indication changing to green; and

(3) A comprehensive review of existing speed limits on county and state roads through an engineering study.

SECTION 2. The Department of Transportation for both the county and state shall modify all existing traffic-control signals to lengthen the display of the steady yellow indication and lengthen the delay time between one traffic-control signal indication changing to red and the opposing traffic-control signal indication changing to green.

SECTION 3. The Department of Transportation for both the county and state shall reevaluate its speed zones on current roadways through an engineering study. The study shall use, but is not limited to, an evaluation of the following factors:

(1) Current speed distribution of free-flowing vehicles;

(2) Geometric features including vertical and horizontal alignment, and sight distance;

(3) Roadside development;

(4) Road and shoulder surface characteristics;

(5) Pedestrian and bicycle activity;

(6) Speed limits on adjoining highway segments;

(7) Accident experience or potential; and

(8) Neighborhood.

The new speed limits shall be adopted by the appropriate state and county agencies.

SECTION 4. This Act shall take effect upon its approval.

 

 

INTRODUCED BY:

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