STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3240

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.R. No. 95

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.R. No. 95 entitled:

"SENATE RESOLUTION REQUESTING THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION TO BEGIN CONSTRUCTION OF THE LEEWARD BIKEWAY BEFORE THE END OF 2016,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to request the Department of Transportation to begin construction of the Leeward Bikeway before the end of 2016.

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Transportation, Hawaii Bicycling League, Cycle On Hawaii, and four individuals.

Your Committee finds that the Leeward Bikeway is a proposed thirteen-mile paved multi-use path, eight to twelve feet wide with two-foot shoulders, to be constructed next to the former Oahu Railway & Land Company railroad tracks on the leeward side of Oahu.  Community advocates have long pushed for the completion of a multi-use path linking the Pearl Harbor Historic Trail to Nanakuli to give leeward Oahu residents another transportation option to work and school.

     Your Committee further finds that the Department of Transportation has $9,000,000 in funding programmed in 2016 for construction of Phase I of the project.  The Federal Highway Administration has primary responsibility for the Leeward Bikeway's compliance with the National Historic Preservation Act, section 106 (Section 106), and has delegated the responsibility to coordinate with Section 106 consulting parties to the Department of Transportation.  The Department of Transportation and Federal Highway Administration are willing to work together to convene all Section 106 parties involved to expedite the conclusion of the Section 106 process so construction can commence.

     In addition to starting construction on the Leeward Bikeway, your Committee also requests that the Department of Transportation start construction on long-delayed and critically-needed Central Oahu Bikeway.

     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 concurs with the intent and purpose of S.R. No. 95 and recommends that it be referred to your Committee on Ways and Means.

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

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LORRAINE R. INOUYE, Chair