STAND. COM. REP. NO.  470

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2013

RE:   H.B. No. 736

      H.D. 1

Honorable Joseph M. Souki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Seventh State Legislature

Regular Session of 2013

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Transportation, to which was referred H.B. No. 736 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO TRANSPORTATION,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to provide a safe transportation alternative for the residents of Kahaluu by:

     (1)  Requiring the Department of Transportation to:

          (A)  Plan, design, and construct a shared-use pathway along the mauka side of Kahekili Highway stretching between East Hui Iwa Street and Waihee Road that allows for two-directional bicycle and pedestrian traffic;

          (B)  At minimum, include in its plan a description of the geographic area affected by the planned construction; the estimated total cost of the project; the estimated timeline of the project; and any other relevant items deemed appropriate or necessary by the Director of Transportation; and

          (C)  Begin construction of the shared-use pathway by an unspecified date;

     (2)  Requiring the Director of Transportation to report annually on the progress of the construction project, including findings, recommendations, and any necessary proposed legislation, to the Legislature no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the Regular Session of 2014 and each Regular Session thereafter until completion of the project; and

     (3)  Appropriating $1,500,000 for fiscal year 2013-2014 and fiscal year 2014-2015 for the planning, design, and construction of the shared-use pathway.

The Sierra Club, Hawaii Chapter; Kahaluu Neighborhood Board No. 29; and several concerned individuals testified in support of this measure.  The Department of Transportation testified in opposition to this bill.  

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

     (1)  Deleting language that:

          (A)  Established minimum requirements for the plan to establish the shared-use pathway;

          (B)  Established an unspecified date by which construction of the shared-use path was to begin; and

          (C)  Required the Director of Transportation to report to the Legislature annually on the progress of the construction project, beginning with the Regular Session of 2014 and each Regular Session thereafter until completion of the project;

     (2)  Converting the appropriation for the planning, design, and construction of the shared-use pathway from a program appropriation to a Capital Improvement Project appropriation;

     (3)  Changing its effective date to July 1, 2050, to encourage further discussion; and

     (4)  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. 736, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 736, H.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Finance.

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

____________________________

RYAN I. YAMANE, Chair