Requires department of transportation to adopt rules setting pedestrian roadway crossing rates and walk signal times and requires rates and times to be longer than in effect on January 1, 2006. Appropriates funds to adopt rules and reset signal times statewide.

A BILL FOR AN ACT

SECTION 1. The legislature finds that older adults are at a higher risk of pedestrian safety while crossing streets. In Hawaii, statistics indicate that the typical victim of a pedestrian traffic collision in Hawaii is a Japanese male, sixty-five or older, walking in a business district in the early morning or early evening.

Pedestrian patterns are not always easy to identify, in part because they do not cluster near particular intersections. Instead, they are often spread across long stretches of highways or arterial roads with few stoplights, sidewalks, or other pedestrian safeguards. Many accidents also appear to fall along main bus routes. Statistics illustrate that many accidents among Hawaii's elderly occur when they attempt to cross the street as a bus approaches.

The length of a flashing indication (hand symbol) is calculated based on the length of the crosswalk and the nationally recognized average walking speed of pedestrians. Hawaii's elderly have slower than average walking speeds, and therefore, need longer time to cross major intersections. Hawaii's older adults should feel safe knowing that they are under the protection of a crosswalk timer, and should not have to rush to cross the street. Unfortunately, this is not always the case.

The purpose of this Act is to reduce traffic accidents and fatalities among Hawaii's elderly by increasing the length of "walk time" for pedestrian crosswalk signal lights.

SECTION 2. Section 291C-33, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended to read as follows:

"§291C-33 Pedestrian-control signals. (a) Whenever special pedestrian-control signals, exhibiting the words "Walk" or "Don't Walk" or the symbols of a walking person or an upraised palm are in place such signals shall indicate as follows:

(b) The department of transportation shall adopt rules pursuant to chapter 91 establishing the length of time that a signal described in subsection (a) shall permit a person to cross a roadway, based on factors including, but not limited to, the width of the roadway and the number of lanes; provided that the crossing rate shall be longer than in effect on January 1, 2006. All signals, whether under state or county control, shall comply with these rules; provided that nothing in this section or the rules adopted under it shall in any manner adversely impact existing safety procedures, including but not limited to, aid to blind and disabled persons."

SECTION 3. There is appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $1,000,000, or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2006-2007, for adoption of rules setting crossing rates and walk signal time lengths for pedestrian roadway crossing and pedestrian control signals and for resetting walk signal time lengths statewide.

The sum appropriated shall be expended by the department of transportation for the purposes of this Act.

SECTION 4. New statutory material is underscored.

SECTION 5. This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2006.