THE SENATE	S.R. NO.	78
THIRTIETH LEGISLATURE, 2020
STATE OF HAWAII

SENATE RESOLUTION

Requesting the department of transportation to conduct a study on the feasibility of a public-private partnership to design, build, and operate an underwater tunnel to provide a more direct connection for vehicle traffic between Ewa and downtown Honolulu, along with the expansion of roadways as necessary to maximize use of the tunnel.

WHEREAS, the coming decades will bring tens of thousands of new homes to the Leeward Coast and nearby areas of West Oahu; and

WHEREAS, traffic experts predict that vehicular congestion will double or triple as a result of the growth in population; and

WHEREAS, completion of Honolulu's rail transit project, potential implementation of toll roads, and other traffic mitigation efforts may be helpful but will not be enough to provide the additional transportation capacity for West Oahu residents; and

WHEREAS, an underwater tunnel constructed at an appropriate location would provide residents of the Leeward Coast with a much more direct route to downtown Honolulu, reduce travel time, and save transportation expenses; and

WHEREAS, if invited to participate in the planning, it is believed that the United States Navy would not oppose the construction of an underwater tunnel because naval vessels commonly traverse underwater tunnels on the East Coast of the United States and throughout the world; now, therefore,

BE IT RESOLVED by the Senate of the Thirtieth Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2020, that the Department of Transportation is requested to conduct a study on the feasibility of a public-private partnership to design, build, and operate an underwater tunnel to provide a more direct connection for vehicle traffic between Ewa and Downtown Honolulu, along with the expansion of roadways as necessary to maximize use of the tunnel; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the study include estimates on appropriate toll fees for use of the tunnel if a tunnel is feasible; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Department of Transportation is requested to submit the study to the Legislature no later than twenty days prior to the Regular Session of 2022; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Resolution be transmitted to the Director of Transportation and Chief of Naval Operations.

OFFERED BY:

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Report Title:

Department of Transportation; Pearl Harbor Tunnel; Feasibility Study; Private-Public Partnership