Bill Text: HI HR53 | 2010 | Regular Session | Introduced

NOTE: There are more recent revisions of this legislation. Read Latest Draft

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Bill Title: Maui County Fixed Rail System; Maui County-DOT Feasibility Study

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 6-0)

Status: (Passed) 2010-04-09 - (H) Resolution adopted in final form. [HR53 Detail]

Download: Hawaii-2010-HR53-Introduced.html

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HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES	H.R. NO.	53
TWENTY-FIFTH LEGISLATURE, 2010
STATE OF HAWAII

HOUSE RESOLUTION

 

 

REQUESTING THE COUNTY OF MAUI, IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION, TO CONDUCT A FEASIBILITY STUDY TO DETERMINE THE COST AND OTHER FACTORS RELATING TO THE CONSTRUCTION OF A FIXED-RAIL TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM CONNECTING THE KAHULUI-WAILUKU AREA, KIHEI, AND LAHAINA ON THE ISLAND OF MAUI.

 

 

 

     WHEREAS, the de facto population of the county of Maui increased thirty-five per cent from 128,094 in 2000, to 143,574 in 2008; and

 

WHEREAS, continued increases in the population exacerbate traffic congestion on a roadway network whose capacity was not designed to handle current roadway usage; and

 

WHEREAS, Maui is in a unique position to develop a light rail plan prior to extensive development, allowing for a more cost effective plan that takes into account future development scenarios; and

 

WHEREAS, Oahu provides a prescient example of the difficulties involved with introducing light rail to an overdeveloped area; and

 

WHEREAS, the populations living in Kahului, Kihei, and Lahaina are the three densest in Maui county with the exception of Wailuku; and

 

WHEREAS, for transportation purposes, Wailuku, which ranks third in population behind Kahului and Kihei, can be considered as a twin of Kahului ‑‑ the two contiguous towns are almost as one; and

 

WHEREAS, these towns are also among the favorite destinations of visitors to Maui and the roads connecting them are heavily traveled; now, therefore,

 

     BE IT RESOLVED by the House of Representatives of the Twenty-fifth Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2010, that the County of Maui, in conjunction with the Department of Transportation, is requested to:

 

     (1)  Conduct a feasibility study to determine the costs and steps needed to construct a fixed-rail system of transportation connecting the Kahului-Wailuku area, Kihei, and Lahaina on the island of Maui;

 

     (2)  Identify various systems involving fixed rail as a means of transport for further examination; and

 

     (3)  Consider and examine all relevant potential issues such as land use, leasing or purchase of land, the exercise of eminent domain, environmental effects, disruption to existing traffic flow, as well as actual planning, engineering, and construction costs of the system with minimum and maximum number of stations on the line and their location, including an adequate supply of labor to carry out such a project; and

 

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the County of Maui is requested to report findings and recommendations to the Legislature and the Governor including:

 

     (1)  Final cost estimates;

 

     (2)  Detailed discussion of potential impediments to the construction of a fixed-rail system on Maui; and

 

     (3)  Recommendations to overcome these impediments;

 

in an interim and a final report no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the Regular Sessions of 2011 and 2012, respectively; and

 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Resolution be transmitted to the Director of Transportation, the Mayor of Maui County, the Chairperson of the Council of the County of Maui, and the Director of the Maui County Department of Transportation.

 

 

 

	OFFERED BY:	_____________________________

Report Title: 

Maui County Fixed Rail System; Maui County-DOT Feasibility Study