STAND. COM. REP. NO.  471

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2007

RE:   H.B. No. 779

      H.D. 1

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Fourth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2007

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Transportation, to which was referred H.B. No. 779 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO TRANSPORTATION,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this bill is to reduce traffic congestion in the Kunia area by appropriating funds for the reconfiguration of the portion of the H-1 Freeway over the Kunia Interchange in the eastbound direction to provide for a third lane of travel.

     An individual testified in support of this bill.  The Department of Transportation (DOT) testified in support of the intent of this measure.

     Traffic congestion continues to be a problem on Oahu, especially in West Oahu.  Reconfiguration of the H-1 Freeway at the Kunia Interchange may help alleviate some of this congestion.

     However, your Committee notes the concerns raised by DOT that the location of the reconfiguration is not accurate and that a preliminary engineering study should be conducted to determine the feasibility of adding a lane at that particular area of the H-1 Freeway.  Accordingly, your Committee has amended this measure by:

     (1)  Clarifying that the portion of the H-1 Freeway being considered for an additional lane of traffic is at the Kunia Interchange near the eastbound on-ramp;

     (2)  Requiring the appropriated funds to be used for the preliminary engineering, design, and construction of an additional lane at the Kunia interchange near the eastbound on-ramp; and

     (3)  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. 779, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 779, 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