STAND. COM. REP. NO. 386

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 1122

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirtieth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2019

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Transportation, to which was referred S.B. No. 1122 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO TRAFFIC SIGNALS ON THE PALI HIGHWAY,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to appropriate funds for traffic signal capital improvement projects at four specific intersections with no traffic signals in the Nuuanu area of the Pali Highway.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Transportation, O‘ahu County Committee on Legislative Priorities of the Democratic Party of Hawai‘i, and two individuals.

Your Committee finds that pedestrian safety is a growing concern in Hawaii. In 2018, 43 pedestrians were killed in automobile accidents statewide, an increase from 28 pedestrians killed in 2017. According to the Insurance Institute of Highway Safety Loss Data Institute, 40 percent of all accidents involving pedestrians occur at a crosswalk with no traffic signal. Your Committee further finds that installing traffic signals that give pedestrians exclusive access to intersections reduces pedestrian accidents at intersections by half. This measure will ensure the safety of pedestrians in the Nuuanu area of the Pali Highway, by installing pedestrian-activated signalized crosswalks at four potentially dangerous crosswalks.

Your Committee has amended this measure by amending the authorized use of the sum appropriated to allow the funds to also be used for other related pedestrian improvements in the Nuuanu area.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Transportation that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 1122, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 1122, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Ways and Means.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Transportation,

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LORRAINE R. INOUYE, Chair