STAND. COM. REP. NO. 598

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.B. No. 389

       S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Twenty-Ninth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2017

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Transportation and Energy, to which was referred S.B. No. 389 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO TRANSPORTATION,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to statutorily establish speed limits for Hawaii Route 3000 bypass, also known as the Lahaina bypass or the Honoapiilani Highway bypass.

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Maui Police Department.  Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from the Department of Transportation and one individual.

Your Committee finds that changing speed limits along the Lahaina bypass would encourage individuals to use the bypass, resulting in less traffic congestion along the main Honoapiilani Highway.

     Your Committee further finds that the construction of the Hawaii Route 3000 bypass was proposed as a way to mitigate traffic congestion on the Honoapiilani Highway through Lahaina Town in West Maui.  Construction of the highway was also seen as essential for the health and safety of residents, as Honoapiilani Highway was previously the only link between West Maui and Central Maui for residents, visitors, and, most importantly, emergency vehicles.  The importance of the bypass has only grown since the project was first proposed due to the steady increase in Maui's population.

     As safety is a primary concern, your Committee would like to ensure that speed limits are not too high so as to encourage motorists to drive a speed that is beyond the driver's experience level and which threatens the safety of all motorists and passengers.

     As such, your Committee has amended this measure by:

     (1)  Lowering the speed limits as follows:

          (A)  From fifty-five to forty-five miles per hour in the Mahinahina-bound direction from route milepost 1.92 through route milepost 3.26;

          (B)  From forty to thirty-five miles per hour in the Mahinahina-bound direction from route milepost 3.26 through Keawe Street;

          (C)  From forty to thirty-five miles per hour in the Wailuku-bound direction from Keawe Street through route milepost 3.26; and

          (D)  From fifty-five to forty-five miles per hour in the Wailuku-bound direction from route milepost 3.26 through route milepost 2.09; and

(2)  Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity and consistency.

     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. 389, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 389, 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,

________________________________

LORRAINE R. INOUYE, Chair