Bill Text: HI SR195 | 2021 | Regular Session | Amended

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Bill Title: Requesting The Department Of Transportation To Evaluate Traffic Congestion, Highway Flooding, And Road Safety Issues On Hawaii Island.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 8-0)

Status: (Passed) 2021-06-21 - Certified copies of resolutions sent, 06-21-21. [SR195 Detail]

Download: Hawaii-2021-SR195-Amended.html

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THE SENATE	S.R. NO.	195
THIRTY-FIRST LEGISLATURE, 2021		S.D. 1
STATE OF HAWAII

SENATE RESOLUTION

 

 

REQUESTING THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION TO EVALUATE TRAFFIC CONGESTION, HIGHWAY FLOODING, AND ROAD SAFETY ISSUES ON HAWAI‘I ISLAND.

 

 

     WHEREAS, the island of Hawai‘i is experiencing growth in population and as a result, an increase in difficulties generated by a significant growth in traffic; and

 

     WHEREAS, vehicle traffic on Kuakini Highway between Lako Street and Kamehameha III Road on Hawai‘i island typically causes traffic jams lasting several consecutive hours in the mornings and evenings; and

 

     WHEREAS, North Kona's population spiked by almost four thousand people to nearly forty-two thousand in total from 2010 through 2016, causing additional traffic on Kuakini Highway and Queen Kaahumanu Highway; and

 

     WHEREAS, relieving the bottleneck where the Queen Kaahumanu and Kuakini Highways merge is necessary for the community's safety; and

 

     WHEREAS, S.B. No. 1011, Regular Session of 2021, proposes to appropriate funds to the Department of Transportation to widen Queen Kaahumanu Highway and Kuakini Highway; and

 

     WHEREAS, the Senate Committee on Transportation found that the rapidly growing population in west Hawai‘i has contributed to consistent vehicle traffic on Queen Kaahumanu Highway and Kuakini Highway; and

 

     WHEREAS, the Department of Transportation initiated a study that determined that widening Kuakini Highway from two to four lanes would require land acquisitions from over one hundred fifty property owners and funding in excess of $150,000,000; and

 

     WHEREAS, the Department of Transportation terminated the Kuakini Highway widening study due to the project's infeasibility; and

 

     WHEREAS, easing traffic at one of Kona's most frustrating pinch points on Kuakini Highway and Queen Kaahumanu Highway between Henry Street and Kamehameha III Road is in the best safety and public welfare interests of the State; and

 

     WHEREAS, there is also well—documented flooding at the

intersection of the Hawaii Belt Road (Mamalahoa Highway) and

Meleana Place, on Hawaii Island; and

 

     WHEREAS, flooding increased after completion in 1997 of the Konawaena School Offsite Highway Improvements Project (Job Number: P3222) in South Kona, which included the construction of a concrete rock masonry retaining wall along the makai side of Mamalahoa Highway and two rock walls on the mauka side of Mamalahoa Highway; and

 

     WHEREAS, flooding from the intersection and culverts

designed to divert excess water from the roadway often overflow onto adjacent properties and Mamalahoa Highway after heavy rains, creating hazardous conditions for residents and drivers; now, therefore,

 

     BE IT RESOLVED by the Senate of the Thirty-first Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2021, that the Department of Transportation is requested to evaluate Kuakini Highway and Queen Kaahumanu Highway between Henry Street and Kamehameha III Road on Hawai‘i island and identify best options for traffic reduction; and

 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that in exploring other alternative means of traffic reduction, the Department of Transportation is requested to consider narrowing the traffic lanes by repainting so that all lanes are uniformly ten feet in width; and

 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Department of Transportation is urged to consider adding the Kuakini Highway and Queen Kaahumanu Highway project to the Highway Safety Improvement Program so that the project may be considered for the Statewide Transportation Improvement Program; and

 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that, at the appropriate time, the Department of Transportation is requested to conduct a study of the flooding and safety issues and to prepare a plan to remediate the flooding issues at the intersection of Mamalahoa Highway and Meleana Place; provided that the State eventually acquires this section of highway; and

 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Resolution be transmitted to the Director of Transportation and Mayor of the County of Hawai‘i.

Report Title:

Department of Transportation; Kuakini Highway; Traffic; Study; Hawaii Island; Statewide Transportation Improvement Program