Bill Text: HI SR5 | 2023 | Regular Session | Introduced

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Bill Title: Urging The City And County Of Honolulu To Improve Access Of Thebus In Oahu's Rural Communities.

Spectrum: Bipartisan Bill

Status: (Passed) 2023-05-22 - Certified copies of resolutions sent. [SR5 Detail]

Download: Hawaii-2023-SR5-Introduced.html

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THE SENATE	S.R. NO.	5
THIRTY-SECOND LEGISLATURE, 2023
STATE OF HAWAII

SENATE RESOLUTION

 

 

urging the city and county of honolulu to improve access of thebus in oahu's rural communities.

 

 

     WHEREAS, TheBus is the primary public transportation service on Oahu, with residents using the service to take approximately one hundred thirteen thousand trips each day; and

 

     WHEREAS, the important service provided by TheBus is especially necessary for residents of Oahu's rural communities, many of whom reside far away from schools, places of employment, and locations that provide essential goods and services, and rely on TheBus to access these places; and

 

     WHEREAS, for senior citizens, persons with disabilities, and low-income residents living in rural areas, utilizing TheBus may be the only means to obtain groceries, access healthcare services, or get to work; and

 

     WHEREAS, TheBus also provides lifesaving transportation services during times of disaster, allowing individuals living in vulnerable areas to evacuate and access shelters and services; and

 

     WHEREAS, although TheBus operates one hundred seven different routes throughout the island, there are still portions of the City and County of Honolulu that have limited access to TheBus's services, especially in Oahu's rural communities; and

 

     WHEREAS, for example, TheBus does not currently service the Kapilina Beach Homes residential community in Ewa Beach, which is located within an extreme tsunami evacuation zone; and

 

     WHEREAS, currently, residents of the Kapilina Beach Homes community who wish to access TheBus's services must walk two miles each way to reach the nearest bus stop; and

 

     WHEREAS, this long walk may make it impossible for individuals with mobility issues to access bus services; and

 

     WHEREAS, middle school and high school students who live in the Kapilina Beach Homes community must walk four miles each day along a busy road that lacks sidewalks and streetlights to get to and from the bus stop, creating an unacceptably dangerous situation for our keiki; and

 

     WHEREAS, the City and County of Honolulu can alleviate these dangerous conditions by expanding TheBus service within Oahu's rural communities; and

 

     WHEREAS, in addition to keeping vulnerable citizens safe, expanded bus service will also help rural residents access employment, schools, and essential goods and services, promoting health and economically secure communities; now, therefore,

 

     BE IT RESOLVED by the Senate of the Thirty-second Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2023, that the City and County of Honolulu is urged to improve access to TheBus in Oahu's rural communities; and

 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Resolution be transmitted to the Mayor of the City and County of Honolulu; each member of the Honolulu City Council; the Director of Transportation Services of the City and County of Honolulu; and the President of Oahu Transit Services, Inc.

 

 

 

	OFFERED BY:	_____________________________

Report Title: 

City and County of Honolulu; Oahu; Rural Communities; TheBus; Public Transportation; Accessibility