STAND. COM. REP. NO.  1035

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2021

 

RE:   S.B. No. 1401

      S.D. 2

      H.D. 1

 

 

 

 

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2021

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committee on Transportation, to which was referred S.B. No. 1401, S.D. 2, entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO TRANSPORTATION,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose of this measure is to:

 

     (1)  Require the Department of Transportation to submit an annual report to the Legislature detailing compliance with the complete streets policy and principles;

 

     (2)  Require the Department of Transportation to establish and publish performance standards with measurable benchmarks reflecting the capacity for all users to travel safely and conveniently along state roadways;

 

     (3)  Require that the complete street policies of the State apply to new construction, reconstruction, repaving, operations, and maintenance activities;

 

     (4)  Require the Department of Transportation to create a complete streets policy checklist for each project and post the checklist online; and

 

     (5)  Require the counties to consider complete street policies when adopting or amending land use ordinances.

 

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Health; Department of Transportation; Office of Climate Change, Sustainability and Resiliency of the City and County of Honolulu; Palehua Townhouse Association; AARP Hawaii; American Heart Association; Ulupono Initiative; Blue Zones Project; Hilo Bayfront Trails, Inc; People's Advocacy for Trails Hawaii; Hawaii Public Health Institute; Hawaii Bicycling League; AlohaCare; and four individuals.

 

     Your Committee finds that complete streets are streets designed and operated to enable safe use of streets and support mobility for all users.  Act 54, Session Laws of Hawaii 2009, established the complete streets law, which requires the Department of Transportation and the county transportation departments to adopt policies that seek to reasonably accommodate convenient access and mobility to all users of the public highways, including pedestrians, bicyclists, and motorists.  This measure will support the development of streets that encourage walking and bicycling, thereby improving the health of residents, while also creating a safer environment for motorists.

 

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

 

     (1)  Specifying that the five percent of eligible federal funds that are required to be used for bikeway expenditures is based on a three-year average; and

 

     (2)  Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity, consistency, and style.

 

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Transportation that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 1401, S.D. 2, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 1401, S.D. 2, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs.

 

 

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

 

 

 

 

____________________________

HENRY J.C. AQUINO, Chair