THE SENATE

S.R. NO.

58

TWENTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2005

S.D. 1

STATE OF HAWAII

 
   


SENATE RESOLUTION

 

REQUESTING THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION TO STUDY AND EVALUATE CURRENT HAWAII COUNTY TRAFFIC PLANS TO ENSURE THE OBJECTIVES OF THE HAWAII STATE PLANNING ACT FOR TRANSPORTATION PLANNING ARE MET AND TO PREPARE A TRAFFIC SOLUTION PLAN FOR HAWAII COUNTY.

 

WHEREAS, unprecedented rates of population growth throughout the State are overwhelming transportation infrastructures, affecting the quality of life and seriously impacting the highway safety; and

WHEREAS, existing roads and highways were planned and constructed for much fewer numbers of vehicles; and

WHEREAS, in Hawaii county, the Five Mountains North Hawaii Motor Vehicle Fatality Research Project (Project), working with the State Department of Health (DOH), confirmed a significantly higher rate of fatal vehicle crashes from 1996 to 2002 in Hawaii County compared to rates in all other counties; and

WHEREAS, the Project found that within Hawaii County the rate of motor vehicle related deaths is highest in Hamakua, Ka'u, and South Kona, while the number of motor vehicle related deaths is highest in Puna and South Kona, the areas of most rapid population growth impact on highways; and

WHEREAS, in June 2004 the Project presented a set of recommendations to the County of Hawaii, requesting that the County and the State identify county vehicle fatalities and injuries as a priority issue requiring additional resources and that the County and State collaborate to support improvement of data collection; and

WHEREAS, the County of Hawaii General Plan Revision process was completed in February 2005 with no reference to the problem of dangerous state and county highways or provision for improvement; and

WHEREAS, section 226-17, Hawaii Revised Statutes (HRS), provides for the objectives and policies for transportation, including:

(1) Achieving a statewide transportation system that is consistent with and will accommodate planned growth objectives throughout the State;

(2) Encouraging a reasonable distribution of financial responsibilities for transportation among participating governmental and private parties;

(3) Encouraging transportation systems that serve to accommodate present and future development needs of communities;

(4) Encouraging the development of transportation systems and programs that would assist statewide economic growth and diversification; and

(5) Coordinating intergovernmental land use and transportation planning activities to ensure the timely delivery of supporting transportation infrastructure in order to accommodate planned growth objectives; and

WHEREAS, section 226-53, HRS, requires the Office of Planning provide recommendations to the Governor and state and county agencies on conflicts between and among the state transportation planning policies and county general plans and development plans; and

WHEREAS, section 26-19, HRS, requires the Department of Transportation (DOT) to plan, develop, promote, and coordinate various transportation system management programs; and

WHEREAS, the logical and prudent course of action to alleviate existing and future traffic problems is to study and evaluate existing traffic conditions in the State, compare the data with current and projected population data, and develop a comprehensive traffic solution plan; and

WHEREAS, the DOT, the Office of Planning, and the County of Hawaii should collaborate in the preparation of county transportation plans and coordinating efforts to implement those plans; now, therefore,

BE IT RESOLVED by the Senate of the Twenty-third Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2005, that the Department of Transportation is requested to:

(1) Study and evaluate existing traffic conditions in Hawaii County, in consultation with the Hawaii County Department of Public Works, and prepare a traffic solution plan for Hawaii County to minimize existing and future traffic problems; and

(2) Review and make recommendations on the current County of Hawaii transportation plan to ensure its conformity to the state planning policies and objectives; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Office of Planning and the County of Hawaii assist the DOT in the study and evaluation; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Department of Transportation is requested to report on interim findings and recommendations, including an estimate of projected costs to complete the study for inclusion in an appropriations measure for the 2006 Regular Session, to the Legislature no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the Regular Session of 2006, and a final report to the Legislature no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the Regular Session of 2007; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Resolution be transmitted to the Director of Transportation, Director of the Office of Planning, and the Mayor and County Council Chair of Hawaii county.

Report Title:

Transportation Planning