STAND. COM. REP. NO.  562

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2009

 

RE:   H.B. No. 866

      H.D. 1

 

 

 

 

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Fifth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2009

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committee on Transportation, to which was referred H.B. No. 866 entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO HIGH OCCUPANCY VEHICLE LANES,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose of this bill is to mitigate traffic congestion during traffic emergencies that require lane-closures by law enforcement or emergency services personnel by allowing all motor vehicles, regardless of the number of persons carried in the vehicle, to use a high occupancy vehicle (HOV) lane or zipper lane.

 

     Two concerned individuals testified in support of this bill.  The Department of Transportation Services of the City and County of Honolulu supported the intent of this measure.  The Department of Transportation (DOT) testified in opposition to this measure.

 

     A number of areas and communities throughout the state are accessible by only one route.  Many times, residents of these communities endure long commute times due to a traffic accident or other traffic emergency that forces authorities to close lanes on the roadway.  Sometimes, the traffic congestion that results lasts for hours leaving many frustrated drivers in their vehicles.  Allowing these drivers to use HOV lanes or the zipper lane during these lane closures may help alleviate this problem.

 

     However, your Committee understands the concerns raised by DOT that drivers often do not have adequate knowledge of the traffic situation on a more global level and therefore may not be able to properly judge when the HOV or zipper lane may be used.  Accordingly, your Committee has amended this measure by requiring DOT to develop protocols for the use of the high occupancy vehicle lane or zipper lane during traffic emergencies requiring lane closures.

 

     Technical, nonsubstantive amendments were also made for clarity, consistency, and style.

 

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Transportation that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 866, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 866, H.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Judiciary.

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Transportation,

 

 

 

 

____________________________

JOSEPH M. SOUKI, Chair