HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H.B. NO.

1195

THIRTY-FIRST LEGISLATURE, 2021

 

STATE OF HAWAII

 

 

 

 

 

 

A BILL FOR AN ACT

 

 

relating to highways.

 

 

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

 

     SECTION 1.  The legislature finds that Farrington highway is not just the sole major roadway on Oahu's leeward coast, it is also the sole access route that links the Waianae district to Ewa and points east toward metropolitan Honolulu.  Although west Oahu has experienced exponential growth and development over the last twenty years, transportation infrastructure has not kept pace.  Traffic volume on Farrington highway has increased from an average of twenty thousand vehicles per day in 2000, to fifty thousand vehicles per day in 2016.  Although planned rail and other public transportation expansions, such as more robust bus service, may alleviate some traffic congestion once they are fully implemented, a solution that depends solely on public transportation is too far in the future and inadequate.

     The city and county of Honolulu's department of transportation services published a concept study for a secondary access highway for the leeward coast in 2001.  To date, no action has been taken to realize this project.  The residents of the Waianae district bear the largest burden of the current infrastructural insufficiency since they must contend with daily commutes of up to two hours each way for jobs or school.  In fact, during peak morning and afternoon commute hours, the eight-mile segment of Farrington highway between Makaha and Nanakuli cannot be traveled in less than forty-five minutes.  Additionally, the lack of any alternate route leaves leeward residents more vulnerable to harm in an emergency situation.  There is currently no available route that can be used as an alternative to Farrington highway during times when Farrington highway is impassable.  Coastal residents are at the mercy of traffic conditions for travel both within and out of the Waianae district and may be unable to reach emergency services or to timely evacuate the area if the sole available route through and out of the district is impassable due to storm damage, severe vehicular accidents, or even daily rush hour traffic.

     The legislature further finds that any project to alleviate traffic congestion on Oahu's west side must first avoid exacerbating the problem through ongoing lane closures or other disruptions caused by road construction.  It is critical that any project to supply alternate transportation corridors must minimize or, ideally, altogether avoid creating additional transportation barriers for residents of west Oahu.

     The purpose of this Act is to:

     (1)  Require the department of transportation, in collaboration with the department of Hawaiian home lands, to develop plans for construction of secondary access roads that pass through Oahu's Waianae coast and connect that area to the rest of Oahu's transportation infrastructure; and

     (2)  Appropriate funds to the department of transportation.

     SECTION 2.  (a)  The department of transportation, in collaboration with the department of Hawaiian home lands, shall develop plans for construction of secondary access roads to serve as alternative routes to Farrington highway for travel within, into, and out of the Waianae district of Oahu.  Plans shall include route maps, timelines for implementation, measures to avoid or mitigate disruption of access to currently available routes, and any other information the department deems necessary.

     (b)  For purposes of this Act, "Waianae district" means the leeward coast of Oahu from Nanakuli to Kaena point that is enclosed by the leeward slopes of the Waianae mountain range.

     SECTION 3.  There is appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $           or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2021-2022 and the same sum or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2022-2023 for the department of transportation to develop plans for construction of secondary access roads that pass through Oahu's Waianae coast and connect that area to the rest of Oahu's transportation infrastructure.

     The sums appropriated shall be expended by the department of transportation for the purposes of this Act.

     SECTION 4.  This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2021.

 

INTRODUCED BY:

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Report Title:

Roadways; Waianae District; Secondary Access Routes; DOT; Appropriation

 

Description:

Requires the department of transportation, in collaboration with the department of Hawaiian home lands, to develop plans for the construction of secondary access roads for the Waianae district of leeward Oahu.  Appropriates funds to develop the construction plans.

 

 

 

The summary description of legislation appearing on this page is for informational purposes only and is not legislation or evidence of legislative intent.