STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2571

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.B. No. 2375

       S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Twenty-Eighth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2016

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Transportation and Energy, to which was referred S.B. No. 2375 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO TRANSPORTATION,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to establish a speed limit of sixty-five miles per hour for the Daniel K. Inouye highway.

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the County of Hawaii Game Management Advisory Commission, Hawaii Hunting Association, and five individuals.  Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from the Hawaii County Police Department and one individual.  Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of Transportation.

     Your Committee finds that Route 200, known locally as Saddle Road, traverses the width of the Island of Hawai‘i, from downtown Hilo to the junction with Hawaii Route 190, near Waimea.  The road was considered one of the most dangerous paved roads in the State, with many one-lane bridges and areas of marginally maintained pavement.  Most of the road has now been repaved, and major parts have new re-alignments to modern standards.  Saddle Road is now known as the Daniel K. Inouye Highway in honor of the late Senator Daniel K. Inouye.

     Your Committee finds that the current speed limit of forty-five miles per hour may not be suitable for the Daniel K. Inouye Highway in certain places, and yet suitable in others.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

     (1)  Raising the speed limit to sixty miles-per-hour beginning at mile marker 19; and

     (2)  Clarifying that the speed limit shall be forty-five miles-per-hour or any other speed limit as determined by the department of transportation, beginning at the Pohakuloa training area and ending one-half mile east of the Mauna Kea county park entrance.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Transportation and Energy that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2375, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2375, S.D. 1, and be placed on the calendar for Third Reading.

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

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LORRAINE R. INOUYE, Chair