HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H.R. NO.

63

TWENTY-FIRST LEGISLATURE, 2002

  

STATE OF HAWAII

  
   

HOUSE RESOLUTION

 

requesting a feasibility study of building bridges in streams for the island of molokai.

 

 

WHEREAS, flooding on streams in Hawai'i is a persistent and often life-threatening hazard; and

WHEREAS, intense rainfall of short duration is common so that floods can happen at any time, usually within a short amount of time; and

WHEREAS, most flood-related deaths are due to flash floods and fifty percent of all flash-flood fatalities are vehicle related; and

WHEREAS, the island of Moloka'i has only two highways, Kamehameha V Highway (450) and Maunaloa Highway (460), both forming the single main road crossing the island, east end to west end; and

WHEREAS, these highways provide the only accessible route to and from the airport, industrial area, churches, schools, stores, and residential areas; and

WHEREAS, these highways cross through several of the island's natural streams making these areas highly susceptible to overflow and potential flood hazards; and

WHEREAS, during recent times Molokai's Kamehameha V highway in Kapa'akea near Kaunakakai has closed in several areas due to stream flooding and debris settlement, endangering residents and visitors alike as well as preventing any travel to or from east Moloka'i; and

WHEREAS, during these times of flooding, road closures occur making it impossible for emergency services to reach many parts of the island; and

WHEREAS, there has been reported at least one fatality due to the flash flooding of the stream in the highway on the island of Molokai; and

WHEREAS, these highways may qualify for funding under the State Traffic Improvement Program and the Federal-Aid Highways Fund; now, therefore,

BE IT RESOLVED by the House of Representatives of the Twenty-first Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2002, that the Director of the Department of Transportation, in conjunction with the City and County of Maui, is requested to examine the feasibility of constructing bridges across those affected streams in the highways on the island of Molokai; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Director of Transportation is requested to report findings and recommendations to the Legislature twenty days before the convening of the Regular Session of 2003; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a certified copies of this Resolution be transmitted to the speaker of the house, president of the senate, Director of the Department of Transportation and the Mayor of the City and County of Maui.

 

 
 

OFFERED BY:

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Report Title:

Feasibility study for moloka'i Highways