STAND. COM. REP. NO.  1276

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2009

RE:   S.B. No. 718

      S.D. 1

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Fifth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2009

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Transportation, to which was referred S.B. No. 718, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO TRANSPORTATION,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this bill is to promote safety on Hawaii's roadways for all users, including pedestrians, motorists, bicyclists, and transit riders, by ensuring that a roadway's entire right-of-way is designed and operated in a way that enables safe access for all users.  Specifically, this bill:

     (1)  Requires the State and counties to adopt a complete streets policy to seek to reasonably accommodate convenient access and mobility for all users of the public highways and trails system as established under current law, including pedestrians, bicyclists, transit users, motorists, and persons of all abilities;

     (2)  Applies the complete streets policy to highways, roads, streets, ways, and lanes located within urban, suburban, and rural areas, where appropriate, for the application of complete streets;

     (3)  Exempts application of the complete streets policy under specified conditions;

     (4)  Applies the complete streets policy to any development for which planning or design commences on or after January 1, 2010;

     (5)  Establishes a temporary task force, on the recommendation of the Department of Transportation (DOT), to review existing state and county highway design standards and guidelines, to:

          (A)  Determine standards and guidelines that can be established to apply statewide and within each county to provide consistency for all highway users;

          (B)  Propose changes to state and county design standards and guidelines; and

          (C)  Develop a comprehensive complete streets policy that can be feasibly implemented;

          and

     (6)  Requires the temporary task force to provide an interim report to the Legislature in 2010, and a final report in 2011, that includes any proposed legislation.

     The Representative of the 11^th Representative District, McCully-Moiliili Neighborhood Board No. 8, AARP Hawaii, Hawaii Bicycling League, Hawaii Public Health Association, Injury Prevention Advisory Committee, Kauai Path, Inc., Hawaii Nutrition and Physical Activity Coalition, PATH-Peoples Advocacy For Trails Hawaii, Maui Family YMCA, Windward Ahapua‘a Alliance, One Voice for Livable Islands, Lahaina Bypass Now, American Heart Association, and numerous individuals testified in support of this bill.  DOT supported the intent of this measure.  Several concerned individuals provided comments on this bill.

     "Complete streets" is a term used nationwide to define roadways that are planned, designed, and built to accommodate all users of a roadway including motorists, pedestrians, bicyclists, and transit riders.  This policy is an attempt to meet the needs of all the members of a community, including those who do not drive or choose to use alternative methods of transportation such as biking and walking.  Not only does a complete streets policy promote healthier living by encouraging walking and biking through the provision of safe roads for these activities, but it also can reduce traffic congestion and make communities more livable by increasing the use of alternative forms of transportation.

     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 S.B. No. 718, S.D. 1, and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be referred to the Committee on Finance.

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

____________________________

JOSEPH M. SOUKI, Chair