Bill Text: HI SB1390 | 2020 | Regular Session | Introduced

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Bill Title: Relating To Transportation.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 16-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2019-12-01 - Carried over to 2020 Regular Session. [SB1390 Detail]

Download: Hawaii-2020-SB1390-Introduced.html

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THE SENATE	S.B. NO.	1390
THIRTIETH LEGISLATURE, 2019
STATE OF HAWAII

A BILL FOR AN ACT

 

 

RELATING TO TRANSPORTATION.

 

 

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

 

     SECTION 1.  The legislature finds that traffic-related fatalities are on the rise nationwide.  Each year, an average of more than forty thousand people are killed in the United States in vehicle crashes.  In Hawaii, forty-five per cent of the fatal crashes in the State were speed-related in 2016, ranking the State as the fifth highest nation for proportion of speed-related fatal crashes.  A majority of the speed-related fatalities occur on state roadways.  Additionally, nearly forty per cent of driving fatalities in Hawaii are alcohol-related, which is above the national average.  Finally, in 2018, a record number of forty-three pedestrian fatalities were documented in Hawaii, reflecting a dramatic increase from fifteen in 2017.

     The legislature finds that many tragedies can be prevented by taking a proactive, preventative approach that prioritizes traffic safety.  Vision Zero, or "Target Zero" in some states, is a movement that seeks to prevent and ultimately eliminate all traffic related fatalities.  The Vision Zero approach recognizes that people will sometimes make mistakes so communities should implement policies and design roads that slow down vehicles in order to give people walking and biking safe alternatives and to reduce the chance that a human mistake leads to a fatality.

     The National Complete Streets Coalition endorses a Vision Zero approach in pursuit of the objective to design streets that prevent traffic injuries and fatalities, particularly for the most vulnerable road users.  Over one thousand two hundred jurisdictions in the United States have, through an adoption of Complete Streets policies, committed to design and operate their streets to provide for the needs of all users of the road, regardless of age, ability, income, or mode of transportation.  Vision Zero strategies can be easily integrated into existing Complete Streets programs.

     In 2009, the legislature passed Act 54, Session Laws of Hawaii, which requires the state and counties' departments of transportation to adopt a complete streets policy that reasonably accommodates convenient access and mobility for all users of the public highways.  It also established a temporary task force to review existing state and county design standards and guidelines.  The city and county of Honolulu further adopted its complete streets policy ordinance in 2012.  In 2018, the mayor of Maui presented a vision zero proclamation in honor of a cyclist that was struck and killed on the shoulder of the Piilani highway.  Maui continues to invest in its complete streets program with local organizations partnering with the county to carry forward its vision zero initiative.

     The legislature finds that the State and counties must collaborate to provide safe roads, as many fatalities occur on state highways.  Hawaii should adopt its own vision zero policy to prevent and ultimately eliminate all traffic fatalities through a combination of engineering, enforcement, education, and emergency response strategies to focus on equity.

     SECTION 2.  Chapter 286, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by adding a new section to be appropriately designated and to read as follows:

     "§286-    Vision zero.  The department of transportation and the county transportation departments shall adopt a vision zero policy that seeks to prevent and ultimately eliminate all traffic fatalities through a combination of engineering, enforcement, education, and emergency response strategies that focus on equity."

     SECTION 3.  (a)  There is established a temporary vision zero working group exempt from section 26-34, Hawaii Revised Statutes, to develop an action plan to reduce traffic fatalities to zero.

     (b)  The action plan shall include but is not limited to:

     (1)  Policies on how to reduce speeds on state and county roads;

     (2)  Engineering recommendations on how to increase vehicular, pedestrian, and bicycle safety;

     (3)  Data-driven enforcement recommendations on how to reduce speeding and operating a vehicle while under the influence of an intoxicant;

     (4)  Additional steps that can be taken to eliminate vehicular, pedestrian, and bicycle fatalities on the road;

     (5)  An implementation plan; and

     (6)  Establishment of measures to track success.

     (c)  The members of the task force, where necessary, shall be selected by the director of transportation, and shall include:

     (1)  The director of transportation, or director's designee, who shall chair the working group;

     (2)  The director of health, or director's designee;

     (3)  A representative from each county's transportation department;

     (4)  A representative of the University of Hawaii's department of urban and regional planning or department of civil and environmental engineering;

     (5)  A representative from each county's metropolitan planning organization;

     (6)  A representative from each county's police department;

     (7)  A representative of Mothers Against Drunk Driving Hawaii;

     (8)  A representative from the Federal Highway Administration;

     (9)  A representative of the Hawaii Bicycling League;

    (10)  A representative of AARP Hawaii; and

    (11)  Other interested parties.

     (d)  The department of transportation shall prepare and submit a report of findings based on the vision zero working group's efforts to the appropriate policy and fiscal committees of the legislature on or before January 1, 2020.

     (e)  The working group shall submit to the legislature, through the department of transportation, the following:

     (1)  An interim progress report no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the regular session of 2020; and

     (2)  A final report, including the working group's action plan detailing its findings, recommendations, and proposed legislation, no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the regular session of 2021.

     (f)  The task force shall cease to exist on June 30, 2021.

     SECTION 4.  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 2019-2020 and the same sum or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2020-2021 for administrative costs of the temporary vision zero working group.

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

     SECTION 5.  New statutory material is underscored.

     SECTION 6.  This Act shall take effect upon its approval; provided that section 1 shall apply to any development for which planning or design commences on or after January 1, 2020.

 

INTRODUCED BY:	_____________________________

 

Report Title:

Vison Zero; Roads and Highways; Appropriation

 

 

Description:

Requires the department of transportation and the county transportation departments to adopt a vision zero policy that seeks to prevent and ultimately eliminate all traffic fatalities through a combination of engineering, enforcement, education, and emergency response strategies that focus on equity.  Establishes a temporary working group to develop an action plan and review certain specified traffic policies and guidelines.  Reports to legislature in 2020 and 2021.  Appropriates funds.

 

 

 

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