REPORT TITLE:
Traffic Study: West Maui


DESCRIPTION:
Appropriates funds to match federal moneys for a feasibility
study to determine alternate traffic solutions to service the
West Maui area.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
                                                        2966
THE SENATE                              S.B. NO.           
TWENTIETH LEGISLATURE, 2000                                
STATE OF HAWAII                                            
                                                             
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                   A  BILL  FOR  AN  ACT

RELATING TO TRANSPORTATION.


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

 1      SECTION 1.  The legislature finds that the West Maui
 
 2 community has often been isolated by brushfires, high waves, and
 
 3 major traffic accidents which have closed Honoapiilani Highway.
 
 4 When the highway is closed, incoming visitors cannot get to the
 
 5 hotels in Maui's most popular resort area, and departing visitors
 
 6 cannot get to the airport for their flights and are sometimes
 
 7 stranded for days.  The closing of the highway means lost
 
 8 business to the community and inconvenience for workers, and
 
 9 creates a health and safety concern for a community which lacks a
 
10 major medical facility.
 
11      During the closing of Honoapiilani Highway, traffic is
 
12 rerouted through Kahakuloa on a road which is narrow and poorly
 
13 paved.  The options for improvements to Honoapiilani Highway that
 
14 are being considered are costly with no certainty that they will
 
15 prevent West Maui from being cut off again.  Further, the
 
16 residents of Kahakuloa oppose the widening and paving of the road
 
17 around Kahakuloa.
 
18      The Maui visitor industry is working with the State and
 
19 county to develop a plan to deal with the closing of the highway
 
20 during fires, high waves, and major accidents.  The plan may
 

 
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                                     S.B. NO.           
                                                        
                                                        

 
 1 include actions to help visitors to fly out of Kapalua Airport or
 
 2 possibly using a ferry from Lahaina Harbor.  Medical emergencies,
 
 3 however, are best handled through an air medical service.
 
 4      The legislature finds that transportation alternatives have
 
 5 to be developed for the West Maui community to deal with
 
 6 emergencies when the Honoapiilani Highway is closed.  The
 
 7 legislature further finds that federal funds have been made
 
 8 available to conduct a transportation feasibility study if
 
 9 matching state moneys are appropriated.
 
10      The purpose of this Act is to appropriate matching state
 
11 moneys to conduct a transportation feasibility study for the West
 
12 Maui area.
 
13      SECTION 2.  There is appropriated out of the general
 
14 revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $200,000, or so much
 
15 thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2000-2001, for the
 
16 purpose of conducting a transportation feasibility study for the
 
17 West Maui area; provided that no funds shall be expended unless
 
18 matching federal moneys are provided.
 
19      SECTION 3.  The sum appropriated shall be expended by the
 
20 department of transportation for the purposes of this Act.
 
21      SECTION 4.  This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2000.
 
22 
 
23                       INTRODUCED BY:  ___________________________