WHEREAS, there is significant traffic congestion on the H-1 Freeway caused by the weaving of vehicles at the Lunalilo Street on-ramp and the Vineyard Boulevard off-ramp; and

WHEREAS, the high volumes of traffic and close proximity of the ramps causes poor weaving conditions to occur; and

WHEREAS, a study conducted by the State shows that the braiding of the Vineyard Boulevard off-ramp and the Lunalilo on-ramp with a fly-over will eliminate this weaving condition by separating traffic entering at Lunalilo Street from traffic exiting at Vineyard Boulevard; and

WHEREAS, braiding of the two ramps allows diverging traffic to exit to Vineyard Boulevard about 360 meters before traffic enters from Lunalilo Street, eliminating weaving between the ramps, which adversely affects traffic conditions; and

WHEREAS, as a result of the adverse traffic conditions caused by the poor ramp design of the current structure, community members, public officials, and other activists are in support of the proposition to separate these ramps with a fly-over concept; now, therefore,

BE IT RESOLVED by the Senate of the Twenty-third Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2006, that the Department of Transportation is urged to plan, design, acquire rights-of-way, and construct an elevated concrete structure, or fly-over, starting just past the Punahou Street on-ramp/Lunalilo Street off-ramp on westbound H-1 Freeway, to serve traffic wishing to exit the freeway to reach the Vineyard Boulevard off-ramp, continuing along the freeway and rising above and over the existing Lunalilo Street on-ramp, and then descending to end near the Ward Avenue overpass; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this project be completed such that the weave or merging between the traffic entering the H-1 Freeway from the existing Lunalilo Street on-ramp and the traffic exiting the H-1 Freeway to the Vineyard Boulevard off-ramp is eliminated; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Department of Transportation seek out appropriate funding measures and use of federal funds such that the project is completed in a fiscally prudent manner; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this project begin with the planning phase as soon as practicable; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Resolution be transmitted to the Director of Transportation and the Executive Director of the Oahu Metropolitan Planning Organization.

Report Title:

Lunalilo Flyover