STAND. COM. REP. NO.  1491-16

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2016

RE:   S.B. No. 2585

      S.D. 1

      H.D. 1

Honorable Joseph M. Souki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Eighth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2016

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Transportation, to which was referred S.B. No. 2585, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE STATEWIDE TRAFFIC CODE,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to reduce pedestrian confusion when using a crosswalk equipped with a countdown timer by clarifying what a countdown timer indicates to the pedestrian.

The Department of Transportation and numerous concerned individuals testified in support of this measure.

     Numerous crosswalks throughout Hawaii are now equipped with countdown timers which indicate how many seconds a pedestrian has to finish crossing the street before the pedestrian signal changes from a flashing "Don't Walk" or upraised palm signal to a steady "Don't Walk" or upraised palm signal.  However, there is confusion among many pedestrians as to when they are allowed to cross the street at a location equipped with a countdown timer.  Updating the statutory specifications of what pedestrian control signals mean, which were last amended in 1981, to address signalized crosswalks where countdown timers are used will reduce this confusion.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

     (1)  Clarifying that a pedestrian may not start to cross a roadway equipped with a countdown timer once the countdown timer has begun operating;

     (2)  Changing its effective date to July 1, 2050, to facilitate further discussion; 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 S.B. No. 2585, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2585, S.D. 1, H.D. 1, and be placed on the calendar for Third Reading.

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

____________________________

HENRY J.C. AQUINO, Chair