STAND. COM. REP. NO.  2093

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2007

RE:   S.C.R. No. 30

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 S.C.R. No. 30 entitled:

"SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION REQUESTING THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION AND THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION SERVICES OF THE CITY AND COUNTY OF HONOLULU TO COOPERATE AND COORDINATE EFFORTS TO HARMONIZE PEDESTRIAN WALK SIGNAL LIGHTS WITH THE PEDESTRIAN'S RIGHT OF WAY IN CROSSWALK LAW,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this concurrent resolution is to enhance pedestrian safety by requesting the State Department of Transportation (DOT) and the Department of Transportation Services of the City and County of Honolulu (DTS) to cooperate and coordinate efforts to harmonize pedestrian walk signal lights with the pedestrian's right of way in a crosswalk law.

     DOT and DTS testified in support of this measure.  The Disability and Communication Access Board supported this concurrent resolution with amendments.

     The pedestrian fatality rate in Hawaii is extremely high, especially among our elderly population, with some estimates reporting that the pedestrian fatality rate for those aged 65 years and older in Hawaii is 169 percent higher than the rest of the nation. This is despite the fact that Hawaii has a law that is aimed at protecting a pedestrian's right of way while in a crosswalk.

     One possible reason for the high number of these pedestrian fatalities is that a number of intersections in Hawaii do not allow sufficient time for individuals to cross.  Moreover, some pedestrian walk signal lights are not synchronized to operate under the conditions stipulated in the pedestrian's right of way in a crosswalk law.  Harmonizing the signal lights with this law will help in protecting pedestrians in Hawaii while allowing for traffic to flow smoothly.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Transportation that is attached to this report, your Committee concurs with the intent and purpose of S.C.R. No. 30 and recommends its adoption.

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

____________________________

JOSEPH M. SOUKI, Chair