HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES	H.C.R. NO.	121
THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2025		S.D. 1
STATE OF HAWAII

HOUSE CONCURRENT

RESOLUTION

REQUESTING THE UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE, UNITED STATES ARMY, UNITED STATES NAVY, AND STATE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION TO WORK WITH APPROPRIATE STATE AND COUNTY DEPARTMENTS AND AGENCIES TO EXPAND, PLAN, AND COORDINATE WORK RELATED TO USING KOLEKOLE PASS AS AN EXPANDED EMERGENCY EXIT ROUTE.

WHEREAS, Kolekole Pass, a historically significant and strategically located corridor through the Waiʻanae mountain range in Nānākuli has long been recognized as a potential emergency evacuation route connecting the Leeward Coast to Central Oahu; and

WHEREAS, Kolekole Pass has been used historically for military operations and has played an important role in Hawaii's history, including serving as a critical route for military and emergency access; and

WHEREAS, recent natural disasters, including the fires on Maui, have underscored the necessity of maintaining alternative evacuation routes to ensure the safety of residents in vulnerable communities; and

WHEREAS, the West side of Oahu faces limited road access, with Farrington Highway serving as the primary roadway for thousands of residents, leaving communities vulnerable to dangerous gridlocks during emergencies; and

WHEREAS, the military has conducted multiple exercises in coordination with federal, state, and county agencies to evaluate the feasibility of Kolekole Pass as an emergency evacuation route, including full-scale exercises in February 2025, that tested its viability for civilian use; and

WHEREAS, recent discussions between military and civilian leadership have indicated a willingness to consider Kolekole Pass for public use in emergency situations; provided appropriate planning, maintenance, and coordination are in place; and

WHEREAS, the coordination of multiple federal, state, and county agencies is necessary to implement infrastructure improvements and establish protocols for civilian use of Kolekole Pass in emergencies; now, therefore,

BE IT RESOLVED by the House of Representatives of the Thirty-third Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2025, the Senate concurring, that the United States Department of Defense, United States Army, United States Navy, and State Department of Transportation are requested to work with appropriate state and county departments and agencies to expand, plan, and coordinate work to prepare and secure Kolekole Pass as an expanded emergency exit route for residents on the West side of Oahu in the event of dangerous gridlocks, natural disasters, or unforeseen catastrophic emergencies; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Concurrent Resolution be transmitted to the United States Secretary of Defense, Chief of Staff of the Army, Chief of Naval Operations, members of Hawaii's congressional delegation, Governor, Director of Transportation, and Administrator of Emergency Management for the City and County of Honolulu.

Report Title:

United States Department of Defense; United States Army; United States Navy; Kolekole Pass; Emergency Exit