Bill Text: HI SCR68 | 2014 | Regular Session | Amended

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Bill Title: Safe Routes to School Program; Maximize Use of Federal Funds

Spectrum: Strong Partisan Bill (Democrat 19-1)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2014-03-25 - Report adopted, as amended (SD 1) and referred to WAM. [SCR68 Detail]

Download: Hawaii-2014-SCR68-Amended.html

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THE SENATE	S.C.R. NO.	68
TWENTY-SEVENTH LEGISLATURE, 2014		S.D. 1
STATE OF HAWAII

SENATE CONCURRENT

RESOLUTION

 

 

REQUESTING THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION TO MAXIMIZE THE USE OF FEDERAL FUNDS UNDER THE SAFE ROUTES TO SCHOOL PROGRAM, AND REQUESTING THE Department of Transportation and Department of Education TO Encourage private entities to assist in funding the program.

 

 

     WHEREAS, "Safe Routes to School" is a federally-funded program designed to substantially improve the ability of primary and middle school students to bike and walk to and from school safely; and

 

     WHEREAS, the Safe Routes to Schools program is a Federal-Aid program of the United States Department of Transportation's Federal Highway Administration, and the program was created by Section 1404 of the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users Act; and

 

     WHEREAS, the Safe Routes to School program in Hawaii is administered by the Department of Transportation; and

 

     WHEREAS, the purpose of the Safe Routes to School program is also to promote walking and bicycling to and from school, encourage elementary and middle school aged children to be physically active, and prevent childhood obesity; and

 

     WHEREAS, Safe Routes to School program activities remain eligible for funding under the current transportation alternatives program; and

 

     WHEREAS, eligible activities include planning, design, and construction of projects that will substantially improve the ability of students to walk and bike to and from school, including sidewalk improvements, traffic calming and speed reduction improvements, pedestrian and bicycle crossing improvements, on‐street bicycle facilities, off‐street bicycle and pedestrian facilities, secure bike parking, and traffic diversion improvements in the vicinity of schools (within approximately two miles); and

 

     WHEREAS, many areas near schools statewide could greatly benefit from such improvements, as existing infrastructure and facilities are inadequate to safely enable or encourage safe walking or biking to and from school; and

 

     WHEREAS, according to the Statewide Pedestrian Master Plan of the Department of Transportation, May 2013, the Hawaii Safe Routes to School program received total funding of $7,200,000 between 2005‐2011; and

 

     WHEREAS, it has come to the attention of this body that the Department of Transportation may not be using federal grants to the maximum extent possible under the Safe Routes to School program to supplement traffic safety projects in school zones; and

 

     WHEREAS, this body is concerned for the safety of children and wants to ensure that projects of the Department of Transportation that are located adjacent to schools include pedestrian safety and traffic calming measures; and

 

     WHEREAS, this body believes that sound public policy by the State includes using and maximizing federal funds whenever possible and therefore finds that the State should use federal funds available to supplement projects of the Department of Transportation that are adjacent to schools to enable students to safely walk and bike to and from school; and

 

     WHEREAS, this body further believes that the Hawaii safe routes to school program should be a federal-state-private entity partnership to maximize federal funding and that the Department of Transportation and Department of Education should encourage private entities to assist in funding the program; now, therefore,

 

     BE IT RESOLVED by the Senate of the Twenty-seventh Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2014, the House of Representatives concurring, that:

 

     (1)  The Department of Transportation is requested to utilize federal funds to supplement projects of the Department of Transportation that are adjacent to schools to enable students to safely walk and bike to and from school; and

 

     (2)  The Department of Transportation and Department of Education are requested to encourage private entities to assist in funding the program as a federal-state-private entity partnership to maximize federal funding; and

 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Concurrent Resolution be transmitted to the Director of Transportation, Superintendent of Education, and Chairperson of the Board of Education.

Report Title: 

Safe Routes to School Program; Maximize Use of Federal Funds