STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3701

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.C.R. No. 50

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirtieth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2020

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Transportation, to which was referred S.C.R. No. 50 entitled:

"SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION REQUESTING THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION AND KAUAI DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS TO CONDUCT A STUDY TO IDENTIFY AND RECOMMEND METHODS TO ALLEVIATE TRAFFIC CONGESTION AT CERTAIN INTERSECTIONS ALONG THE KAUMUALII HIGHWAY,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to request that the Department of Transportation and Kauai Department of Public Works conduct a study to identify and recommend methods to alleviate traffic congestion at certain intersections along the Kaumualii Highway.

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

Your Committee finds that Kaumualii Highway is a thirty-three-mile roadway in the County of Kauai that stretches from the intersection of Kuhio Highway and Rice Street to Lio Road, passing through the communities of Lihue, Omao, Koloa, Kalaheo, and Waimea, among others. Your Committee further finds that according to the 2018 State of Hawaii Data Book, the number of vehicle registrations in the County of Kauai increased by fifteen percent between 2010 and 2018, and the twenty-four-hour traffic volume in certain survey sites in the county increased between 2012 and 2018 by approximately ten percent in Waimea and thirteen percent in Omao. Your Committee additionally finds that the County of Kauai's growing population and the presence of numerous large employers near the Kaumualii Highway necessitate a collaborative effort by the State and the County of Kauai to develop methods to alleviate traffic congestion along and enhance the reliability of the Kaumualii Highway. This measure requests that the Department of Transportation and Kauai Department of Public Works conduct a study and make recommendations to alleviate traffic along Kaumualii Highway.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Transportation that is attached to this report, your Committee concurs with the intent and purpose of S.C.R. No. 50 and recommends its adoption.

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

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LORRAINE R. INOUYE, Chair