REPORT TITLE:
Highway design


DESCRIPTION:
Ensures that state road and bridge projects adequately meet our
transportation needs, exist in harmony with their surroundings,
and add lasting value to the communities they serve.  (SD1)

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
                                                        2991
THE SENATE                              S.B. NO.           S.D. 1
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.  Hawaii's rural communities are the heart and
 
 2 soul of the islands, where the aloha spirit and natural resources
 
 3 are truly the essence of our State.  As urbanization spreads
 
 4 throughout Hawaii, these communities are at risk of losing their
 
 5 unique identities, especially when planning for roadway
 
 6 construction that must meet certain highway standards.  The
 
 7 standards that most highway designers reference are based on "A
 
 8 Policy on the Geometric Design of Highways and Streets" (commonly
 
 9 called the "Green Book") published by the American Association of
 
10 State Highway and Transportation Officials.  These standards are
 
11 not inflexible.  As a companion to the Green Book, the Federal
 
12 Highway Administration has published "Flexibility in Highway
 
13 Design," which encourages highway designers to expand their
 
14 consideration in applying the Green Book criteria.  It further
 
15 states, "This guide should be viewed as a useful tool to help
 
16 highway designers, environmentalists, and the public move further
 
17 along the path to sensitively designed highways and streets by
 
18 identifying some possible approaches that fully consider
 
19 aesthetic, historic, and scenic values, along with safety and
 

 
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 1 mobility."
 
 2      When Congress passed the Intermodal Surface Transportation
 
 3 Efficiency Act (ISTEA) in 1991, it recognized the importance of
 
 4 good design that is sensitive to its surrounding environment,
 
 5 especially in historic and scenic areas.  Aesthetic, scenic,
 
 6 historic, cultural, and natural resources of an area are
 
 7 important factors that create a sense of place and provide
 
 8 communities with an identity.  Section 1016(a) of ISTEA states:
 
 9 "If a proposed project involves a historic facility or is located
 
10 in an area of historic or scenic value, the Secretary may approve
 
11 the project if the project is designed to standards that allow
 
12 for preservation of such historic or scenic value and such
 
13 project is designed with mitigation measures to allow
 
14 preservation of such value and ensure safe use of the facility."
 
15      In 1995, Congress strengthened this position in the National
 
16 Highway System Act in section 304 that states:  "A design for new
 
17 construction, reconstruction, resurfacing (except for maintenance
 
18 surfacing), restoration, or rehabilitation of a highway on the
 
19 National Highway System (other than a highway also on the
 
20 Interstate System) may take into account, in addition to safety,
 
21 durability, and economy of maintenance:
 
22      (1)  The constructed and natural environment of the area;
 
23      (2)  The environmental, scenic, aesthetic, historic,
 

 
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 1           community, and preservation impacts of the activity;
 
 2           and
 
 3      (3)  Access for other modes of transportation."
 
 4      By passage of the federal act, Congress gave the states the
 
 5 flexibility to develop and apply criteria they deem appropriate
 
 6 for federal-aid projects not on the National Highway System.  The
 
 7 legislature finds that there is a federal policy framework that
 
 8 encourages creativity and sensitivity, while achieving safety and
 
 9 efficiency.  This policy framework recommends early
 
10 identification of critical project issues and encourages thorough
 
11 consideration of community concerns and input prior to major
 
12 decisions which can severely limit all other options.
 
13      The legislature finds that organizations such as the
 
14 Alliance for the Heritage of East Maui, the Hanalei Road
 
15 Committee on Kauai, and the Hamakua-Honokaa Heritage Corridor on
 
16 the Big Island, are exploring and supporting concepts such as
 
17 scenic Byway or Heritage corridor programs.  Work is also in
 
18 progress to recognize the upper Kona road on the Big Island and
 
19 Ka Iwi coastal highway stretch on Oahu as important scenic and
 
20 historic corridors.  These organizations, which represent their
 
21 communities' desires, need alternative standards to be adopted by
 
22 the department of transportation to provide and meet community
 
23 concerns with regard to natural, cultural, historic, and scenic
 

 
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 1 resources.
 
 2      It is the intent of the legislature to encourage the highest
 
 3 quality design to ensure that road and bridge projects adequately
 
 4 meet the State's transportation needs, exist in harmony with
 
 5 their surroundings, and add value to the communities they serve.
 
 6      SECTION 2.  On or before January 1, 2002, the director of
 
 7 transportation shall establish new design guidelines to govern
 
 8 new construction, reconstruction, resurfacing, restoration, or
 
 9 rehabilitation of bridges, principal and minor arterial roads,
 
10 collector and local roads, and streets.  The guidelines shall
 
11 take into account:
 
12      (1)  Safety, durability, and economy of maintenance;
 
13      (2)  The constructed and natural environment of the area;
 
14      (3)  The potential effects on the local and state economies;
 
15      (4)  The community development plans as reflected in
 
16           relevant county ordinances;
 
17      (5)  The environmental, scenic, aesthetic, historic,
 
18           community, and preservation impacts of the activity
 
19           and;
 
20      (6)  Access for other modes of transportation.
 
21      In establishing the guidelines described under this section,
 
22 the director shall solicit and consider the views of elected
 
23 officials and organizations including, but not limited to: those
 
24 with expertise in environmental protection, historic
 

 
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 1 preservation, scenic conservation, bicycle and pedestrian
 
 2 transportation, as well as regional councils of government, rural
 
 3 development councils, the state foundation on culture and the
 
 4 arts commission, and the Federal Highway Administration.
 
 5      SECTION 3.  This Act shall take effect upon its approval,
 
 6 and shall be completed by June 30, 2003.