STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3030

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: H.B. No. 2075

H.D. 1

S.D. 1

 

 

Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2006

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Transportation and Government Operations, to which was referred H.B. No. 2075, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO TRANSPORTATION,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to ensure the implementation of a safe, continuous, and coordinated system of bikeways by earmarking a percentage of the state highway fund for bikeways.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Transportation, Peoples Advocacy for Trails Hawaii, Keiki Injury Prevention Coalition, TEAM Try Fitness!, Hawaii Bicycling League, Na Kama Hele, and twelve individuals. Comments were received from the Tax Foundation of Hawaii.

Your Committee finds that that bicycling is growing in importance as a mode of transportation. Bicycling has many benefits, including:

(1) Improved mobility, especially for those who cannot or choose not to drive;

(2) Lower road maintenance costs;

(3) Less traffic congestion;

(4) Less road widening and fewer parking lots;

(5) Improved air quality; and

(6) Improved health and reduced health costs.

With rising gasoline prices, many people are looking for an alternative method of transportation. It is far less expensive to operate a bicycle than to operate an automobile.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Requiring the expenditure of at least two percent of federally allocated moneys to be expended for bikeways from the state highway fund;

(2) Requiring the Department of Transportation to include the bicycling community in a public involvement process to plan bikeways;

(3) Changing the effective date to upon approval; and

(4) Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Transportation and Government Operations that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 2075, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2075, H.D. 1, S.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Transportation and Government Operations,

____________________________

LORRAINE R. INOUYE, Chair