STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1649

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    H.B. No. 497

       H.D. 2

       S.D. 2

Honorable Colleen Hanabusa

President of the Senate

Twenty-Fourth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2007

State of Hawaii

Madam:

     Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred H.B. No. 497, H.D. 2, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO TRANSPORTATION,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this measure is to create additional bikeways.

     More specifically, the bill requires the Department of Transportation to use at least two per cent of eligible federal funds and available state funds out of the state highway fund to build multi-use paths, bicycle paths, bicycle lanes and bikeways.  In addition, the measure requires bicycling community representation as part of a public process to determine location and signage.

     The American Association of Retired Persons, the Hawaii Bicycling League, the Oahu Sierra Club, and three individuals submitted comments in support of the measure.

     Your Committee finds that there are not sufficient bikeways to accommodate commuters and people looking for alternative transportation, given Hawaii's ideal weather conditions and gentle terrain.  Safe bikeways would provide for healthy commuting between home and the workplace as well as for other short trips.

`    This measure guarantees a dedicated funding source and minimum budget to create additional bikeways, in accordance with the recent vote to make the City and County of Honolulu more bicycle-friendly.

     Your Committee amended the bill by deleting repetitious language on page 3, lines 19-21.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Ways and Means that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 497, H.D. 2, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 497, H.D. 2, S.D. 2.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Ways and Means,

____________________________

ROSALYN H. BAKER, Chair