Report Title:

High Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) Lanes.

 

Description:

Allows the Director of Transportation and highway engineers to use evaluation of traffic demand and traffic volumes to establish occupancy requirements for high occupancy vehicle lanes.

 

THE SENATE

S.B. NO.

1509

TWENTY-FOURTH LEGISLATURE, 2007

 

STATE OF HAWAII

 

 

 

 

 

 

A BILL FOR AN ACT

 

 

RELATING TO HIGH OCCUPANCY VEHICLE (HOV) LANES.

 

 

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

 

     SECTION 1.  Section 291C-53, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended to read as follows:

     "§291C-53  Restrictions on use of controlled-access

roadway or highway. (a) The director of transportation by rules adopted in accordance with chapter 91, and the counties by ordinance, may regulate or prohibit the use of any controlled-access roadway or highway within their respective jurisdictions by any class or kind of traffic which is found to be incompatible with the normal and safe movement of traffic.  Persons operating motorcycles which are otherwise permitted on a controlled-access roadway or highway shall be permitted to use any high occupancy vehicle lane designated on such roadway or highway.  For the purposes of this subsection, "high occupancy vehicle lane" means a designated lane of a laned roadway where the use of such designated lane is restricted to vehicles carrying at least [two] the minimum number of persons designated by the director of transportation as indicated on official signs and other official traffic-control devices, and to other vehicles as provided by rules adopted in accordance with chapter 91, or by county ordinance.  Notwithstanding any law to the contrary, no person shall operate a neighborhood electric vehicle on any controlled-access roadway or highway. 

     (b)  The director of transportation or a county adopting any such prohibition shall erect and maintain official traffic-control devices on the controlled-access roadway or highway on which such prohibitions are applicable and when in place no person shall disobey the restrictions stated on such devices."

     SECTION 2.  Section 291C-221, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is

amended to read as follows:

     "§291C-221  Definitions.  As used in this part unless the context otherwise requires:

     "High occupancy vehicle" means a vehicle carrying at least [two.] the minimum number of persons [.] designated by the director of transportation as indicated on official signs and other official traffic-control devices, and other vehicles as provided by rules adopted in accordance with chapter 91 or by county ordinance.

     "High occupancy vehicle lane" means a designated lane of a laned roadway where the use of the designated lane is restricted to school buses, vehicles carrying at least [two] the minimum number of persons [,] designated by the director of transportation on official signs and other official traffic-control devices, and to other vehicles as provided by rules adopted in accordance with chapter 91, or by county ordinance."

     SECTION 3.  Statutory material to be repealed is bracketed and stricken.  New statutory material is underscored.

     SECTION 4.  This Act shall take effect upon its approval.

 

INTRODUCED BY:

_____________________________

 

 

BY REQUEST