STAND

STAND. COM. REP. NO. 444

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2005

RE: H.B. No. 925

H.D. 1

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2005

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Transportation, to which was referred H.B. No. 925 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT MAKING AN APPROPRIATION TO STUDY THE FEASIBILITY OF BUILDING A MOTOR VEHICLE AND RAILWAY TUNNEL UNDER HONOLULU HARBOR,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this bill is to begin the process of finding alternative ways of alleviating traffic congestion by studying the feasibility of building a motor vehicle and railway tunnel under Honolulu Harbor.

The General Contractors Association of Hawaii and several concerned individuals testified in support of this measure. The Department of Transportation supported the intent of this bill.

Your Committee finds that traffic congestion continues to be a concern for all of Hawaii's residents, including residents of the leeward side of Oahu. An increasing population has led to an increased number of cars and trucks on the roadways resulting in traffic congestion being one of the most pressing issues facing Hawaii's residents. Building a tunnel under Honolulu Harbor may be one solution to alleviating this problem.

Although your Committee understands the concerns raised by DOT regarding the fiscal implications and security issues of building a tunnel under Honolulu Harbor, the idea of building a tunnel deserves further consideration.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Clarifying that the update of the study should only look at the feasibility of building a harbor tunnel and not its operating costs;

(2) Specifying that the update of the study should identify both federal and state funding sources for building a harbor tunnel;

(3) Changing the appropriation amount from $200,000 to $400,000 to conduct the update of the study; and

(4) Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for clarity, consistency, and style.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Transportation that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 925, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 925, H.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Finance.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Transportation,

		____________________________ JOSEPH M. SOUKI, Chair