HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H.R. NO.

274

TWENTY-FIFTH LEGISLATURE, 2009

 

STATE OF HAWAII

 

 

 

 

 


HOUSE RESOLUTION

 

 

urging the hawaii community development authority to create and maintain a bike path through the honolulu downtown area.

 

 

 


     WHEREAS, bicycling supports and enhances physical health in an outdoor environment through exercise and recreation; and

 

     WHEREAS, bicycling provides a convenient, effective, and alternative form of transportation that helps reduce traffic congestion and parking requirements; and

 

     WHEREAS, bicycling is an environmentally-friendly activity that does not rely on the consumption of fossil fuels and produces no pollution; and

 

     WHEREAS, the State of Hawaii’s position supporting bicycling is reflected in its plans, including the 1996 Hawaii State Plan, the 2002 Hawaii Statewide Transportation Plan, and the 2003 Bike Plan Hawaii, a plan that has an overall goal to establish bicycling as a safe and convenient mode of transportation for residents and visitors throughout the State; and

 

     WHEREAS, dedicated bikeways are safer for bicyclists and Hawaii had the second highest average annual fatality rate for bicyclists in the country from 2001-2005; and

 

     WHEREAS, bicycling is great for small businesses through downtown such as cafes and restaurants; and

 

     WHEREAS, good weather conditions year-round make it possible to commute to various locations by bicycle; and

 

WHEREAS, bike lanes do the following:

 

(1)    Helps define road space and promotes a more orderly flow of traffic

 

(2)    Encourages bicyclists to ride in the correct direction with the flow of traffic

 

(3)    Gives bicyclists a clear place to be so they are not tempted to ride on the sidewalk

 

(4)    Reminds motorists to look for cyclists when turning or opening car doors, and

 

(5)    Signals motorists that cyclists have a right to the road and reduces the chance that motorists will stray into cyclists’ path of travel; and

 

     WHEREAS, a comparison of crash ratios of all types in major cities has shown that cities with higher bicycle use have lower traffic crash rates of all types than cities with lower bicycle use; and

 

     WHEREAS, in a national study comparing streets with bike lanes and those without, several important observations were made such as:

 

(1)    Wrong-way riding was significantly lower on the streets with bike lanes

 

(2)    In approaching intersections, 15 percent of cyclists on streets without bike lanes rode on the sidewalks, vs. 3 percent on the streets with bike lanes, and

 

(3)    On streets with bike lanes, 81 percent of cyclists obeyed stop signs, vs. 55 percent on streets without; and

 

     WHEREAS, it is the purpose of HCDA to supplement traditional community renewal methods by promoting and coordinating public and private sector community developments; and; now, therefore

 

     BE IT RESOLVED by the House of Representatives of the Twenty-fifth Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2009, that the Hawaii Community Development Authority is requested to create and maintain a bike path through the Honolulu downtown area; and

 

                BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Resolution be transmitted to the Hawaii Community Development Authority and the Governor.

 

 

 

OFFERED BY:

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Report Title: 

HCDA; bike path through downtown; request