HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H.C.R. NO.

292

TWENTY-FIFTH LEGISLATURE, 2009

H.D. 1

STATE OF HAWAII

 

 

 

 

 

HOUSE CONCURRENT

RESOLUTION

 

 

REQUESTING THE LEGISLATIVE REFERENCE BUREAU TO CONDUCT A STUDY ON THE FEASIBILITY OF USING LUALUALEI NAVAL ROAD AS AN EVACUATION ROUTE IN THE EVENT OF AN EMERGENCY OR NATURAL DISASTER ON THE LEEWARD COAST.

 

 

 


     WHEREAS, the leeward coast of Oahu has suffered many disasters in the past, natural and otherwise; and

 

     WHEREAS, the sole public passage out of the leeward coast area to other parts of Oahu in the event of any disaster requiring the evacuation of the leeward coast is Farrington Highway, which has been closed numerous times in the recent years because of accidents, severe weather, and other emergency conditions; and

 

     WHEREAS, in the event of a disaster requiring the evacuation of the leeward coast during a closure of Farrington Highway, tens of thousands of civilian lives will be placed in harm's way; and

 

     WHEREAS, Lualualei Naval Road, also known as Kolekole Pass Road, is the only passage through the Waianae mountain range at Kolekole Pass, connecting the leeward coast with central Oahu; and

 

     WHEREAS, Lualualei Naval Road is presently closed to civilian traffic; and

 

     WHEREAS, opening Lualualei Naval Road to civilian traffic during an emergency or natural disaster would provide an alternative route for evacuating residents of the leeward coast to other areas of Oahu and could save countless lives; now, therefore,

 

     BE IT RESOLVED by the House of Representatives of the Twenty-fifth Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2009, the Senate concurring, that the Legislative Reference Bureau is requested to conduct a study on the feasibility of using Lualualei Naval Road as an evacuation route in the event of an emergency or natural disaster on the leeward coast; and

 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that, in its study, the Bureau is requested to:

 

     (1)  Determine the logistical challenges of opening Lualualei Naval Road to civilian traffic during an emergency or natural disaster;

 

     (2)  Review and consider the jurisdictional issues that need to be addressed and resolved to allow the use of Lualualei Naval Road as an emergency evacuation route for civilians;

 

     (3)  Determine any conditions that would be necessitated by an agreement between the State, the United States Navy, and the United States Army for the use of Lualualei Naval Road during any emergency, including but not limited to determining what event or declaration would be required to permit use of the road by civilian traffic; and

 

     (4)  Consider any other pertinent issues that may be involved in the use of the Lualualei Naval Road as an emergency evacuation route; and

 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Legislative Reference Bureau is requested to submit its findings and recommendations including any recommended legislation, to the Legislature, not less than twenty days prior to the convening of the Regular Session of 2010; and

 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Concurrent Resolution be transmitted to the Director of the Legislative Reference Bureau, the Commander, United States Pacific Fleet, the Commanding General, United States Army Pacific, and the Commander, United States Pacific Command.

 

Report Title: 

Lualualei Naval Road; Emergency Evacuation Routes