STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3728

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.R. No. 124

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirtieth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2020

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committees on Hawaiian Affairs and Transportation, to which was referred S.R. No. 124 entitled:

"SENATE RESOLUTION URGING THE DEPARTMENT OF HAWAIIAN HOME LANDS, DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION HIGHWAYS DIVISION, AND HAWAII COUNTY TO COLLECTIVELY DEVELOP A PLAN TO IMPROVE MEALANI ROAD AND ESTABLISH A PROTOCOL TO USE MEALANI ROAD AS AN EMERGENCY BYPASS ROUTE WHEN MAMALAHOA HIGHWAY IS INACCESSIBLE,"

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to urge the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands, Department of Transportation Highways Division, and Hawaii County, including the Hawaii County Department of Public Works, Hawaii County Civil Defense Agency, Hawaii Police Department, and Hawaii Fire Department, to collectively develop a plan to improve Mealani Road and establish a protocol to use Mealani Road as an emergency bypass route when Mamalahoa Highway is inaccessible.

Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Transportation, Department of Hawaiian Home Lands, and one individual.

Your Committees find that maintaining road access during disasters and emergency road closures is of critical importance for public safety. Mamalahoa Highway is the only road that provides entry and exit from the east side of the town of Waimea in Hawaii County. Closures of Mamalahoa Highway have caused significant problems for residents and commuters trying to access school, work, church, the post office, stores, and their homes. Therefore, there is a need for an emergency bypass route for the east side of Waimea when Mamalahoa Highway is inaccessible and Mealani Road is the only potential emergency bypass route available. For public safety reasons, the Mealani Road should be improved for use as an emergency bypass route.

Your Committees note the testimony of the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands that it has already been in discussion with the County of Hawaii about the use of Mealani Road during emergencies. Besides funding, Hawaii County enforcement of speeding and driving or passing on the shoulder and negative impacts to the Hawaiian Homes communities are concerns. Therefore, the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands recommends that there should be a protocol that ensures that beneficiaries who are directly or indirectly impacted are consulted in the planning process prior to any decision being made by the various agencies relating to the emergency use of Mealani Road.

Your Committees have amended this measure by making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity and consistency.

As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Hawaiian Affairs and Transportation that are attached to this report, your Committees concur with the intent and purpose of S.R. No. 124, as amended herein, and recommend its adoption in the form attached hereto as S.R. No. 124, S.D. 1.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Hawaiian Affairs and Transportation,

________________________________ LORRAINE R. INOUYE, Chair

________________________________ MAILE S.L. SHIMABUKURO, Chair