Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2003

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Transportation, Military Affairs and Government Operations, to which was referred S.B. No. 464 entitled:

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to require the Department of Transportation (DOT) to develop an action plan for implementation of a fixed rail transit system on Oahu, and to begin acquiring land necessary for the system, through eminent domain or direct negotiation.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from a concerned citizen. The Oahu Metropolitan Planning Organization (OMPO) and Citizens Advocating Responsible Education submitted comments. A concerned citizen submitted testimony in opposition to this measure. The Department of Transportation submitted testimony taking no position on this measure.

Despite the fact that every resident of Oahu agrees that the automobile traffic congestion here is unbearable, your Committee finds that our island still lacks any viable, broad-scale mass transit system.

Your Committee is aware that the City and County of Honolulu has accelerated plans to implement the Bus Rapid Transit system, but there is much disagreement in the transportation engineering community about whether such a system is practical for Oahu, and whether such a system will actually decrease traffic congestion.

On the other hand, your Committee finds that a fixed rail transit system, which will be located above ground, will be a fuel-efficient answer to our traffic woes. Fewer motor vehicles on our roadways should be our goal with any mass transit system.

Therefore, your Committee supports this measure, and urges the DOT to hasten its efforts to develop a fixed rail transit system.

Your Committee amended this measure to require the DOT to work with the Department of Transportation Services of the City and County of Honolulu, as well as OMPO, to develop the system. Your Committee agrees that all interested parties must work together in order to make any mass transit system a success.

Your Committee also amended this measure to require the DOT to explore the possibility of constructing a monorail if the full-scale fixed rail system is not feasible. Although monorails are typically shorter and smaller-scale than other types of fixed rail systems, your Committee notes that such a system may be appropriate for Oahu given its small geographic size.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Transportation, Military Affairs and Government Operations that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 464, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 464, S.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.