HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES H.C.R. NO. 167 THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2025 STATE OF HAWAII HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION URGING THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION AND THE CITY AND COUNTY OF HONOLULUS DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION SERVICES TO IMPLEMENT ROAD SAFETY AND TRAFFIC FLOW IMPROVEMENTS IN HAWAII KAI.
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES H.C.R. NO. 167
THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2025
STATE OF HAWAII
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
H.C.R. NO.
167
THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2025
STATE OF HAWAII
HOUSE CONCURRENT
RESOLUTION
URGING THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION AND THE CITY AND COUNTY OF HONOLULUS DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION SERVICES TO IMPLEMENT ROAD SAFETY AND TRAFFIC FLOW IMPROVEMENTS IN HAWAII KAI.
WHEREAS, Hawaii Kai is a suburban community home to many local families; and WHEREAS, speeding is a recurring concern for Hawaii Kai's pedestrians; and WHEREAS, in a recent study by the City and County of Honolulu's Department of Transportation Services it was found that seventy-one per cent of drivers failed to yield for pedestrians at a busy intersection in Hawaii Kai, which was the highest rate of the ten intersections included in the island-wide study; and WHEREAS, there are numerous highly trafficked areas in Hawaii Kai and Kalama Valley which lack crosswalks, making movement on foot a dangerous proposition; and WHEREAS, for example, streets surrounding Kalama Valley Community Park are often traversed by young athletes, though the absence of crosswalks makes crossing thoroughfares difficult and dangerous; and WHEREAS, the intersection of Hawaii Kai Drive and Kealahou Street is another location of concern in Kalama Valley, with frequent speeding and no crosswalks making this an unfriendly pedestrian environment; and WHEREAS, there are numerous streets in Hawaii Kai which are prone to speeding, though the implementation of traffic calming measures are rare, despite numerous long-standing requests from elected officials and community members alike; and WHEREAS, as the main ingress and egress of East Honolulu, Kalanianaʻole Highway is a highly utilized thoroughfare with many drivers frequently sitting in traffic; and WHEREAS, drivers turning left off Kalanianaʻole Highway at times must wait over five minutes for the signal to change, even at night when there are very few vehicles on the road; and WHEREAS, at other locations in Honolulu, traffic turn signals flash yellow during low traffic volume hours, which give drivers the opportunity to make a left turn if they determine it is safe; now, therefore, BE IT RESOLVED by the House of Representatives of the Thirty-third Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2025, the Senate concurring, that the City and County of Honolulu's Department of Transportation Services is urged to install crosswalks in Kalama Valley, prioritizing areas around the Kalama Valley Community Park and at the intersection of Hawaii Kai Drive and Kealahou Street; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the State Department of Transportation and the City and County of Honolulus Department of Transportation Services are urged to study traffic calming measures throughout Hawaii Kai to reduce speeding and urgently implement the most optimal solutions; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the State Department of Transportation and the City and County of Honolulus Department of Transportation Services are urged to make light timing changes and adjust parameters to maximize traffic flow, including exploring the installation of turn signals on Kalanianaʻole Highway to flashing yellow lights during low traffic volume hours to give drivers the discretion to decide if it is safe to turn; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Concurrent Resolution be transmitted to the Director of Transportation, Director of the City and County of Honolulu's Department of Transportation Services, and the Honolulu City Council's District Four Councilmember. OFFERED BY: _____________________________
WHEREAS, Hawaii Kai is a suburban community home to many local families; and
WHEREAS, speeding is a recurring concern for Hawaii Kai's pedestrians; and
WHEREAS, in a recent study by the City and County of Honolulu's Department of Transportation Services it was found that seventy-one per cent of drivers failed to yield for pedestrians at a busy intersection in Hawaii Kai, which was the highest rate of the ten intersections included in the island-wide study; and
WHEREAS, there are numerous highly trafficked areas in Hawaii Kai and Kalama Valley which lack crosswalks, making movement on foot a dangerous proposition; and
WHEREAS, for example, streets surrounding Kalama Valley Community Park are often traversed by young athletes, though the absence of crosswalks makes crossing thoroughfares difficult and dangerous; and
WHEREAS, the intersection of Hawaii Kai Drive and Kealahou Street is another location of concern in Kalama Valley, with frequent speeding and no crosswalks making this an unfriendly pedestrian environment; and
WHEREAS, there are numerous streets in Hawaii Kai which are prone to speeding, though the implementation of traffic calming measures are rare, despite numerous long-standing requests from elected officials and community members alike; and
WHEREAS, as the main ingress and egress of East Honolulu, Kalanianaʻole Highway is a highly utilized thoroughfare with many drivers frequently sitting in traffic; and
WHEREAS, drivers turning left off Kalanianaʻole Highway at times must wait over five minutes for the signal to change, even at night when there are very few vehicles on the road; and
WHEREAS, at other locations in Honolulu, traffic turn signals flash yellow during low traffic volume hours, which give drivers the opportunity to make a left turn if they determine it is safe; now, therefore,
BE IT RESOLVED by the House of Representatives of the Thirty-third Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2025, the Senate concurring, that the City and County of Honolulu's Department of Transportation Services is urged to install crosswalks in Kalama Valley, prioritizing areas around the Kalama Valley Community Park and at the intersection of Hawaii Kai Drive and Kealahou Street; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the State Department of Transportation and the City and County of Honolulus Department of Transportation Services are urged to study traffic calming measures throughout Hawaii Kai to reduce speeding and urgently implement the most optimal solutions; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the State Department of Transportation and the City and County of Honolulus Department of Transportation Services are urged to make light timing changes and adjust parameters to maximize traffic flow, including exploring the installation of turn signals on Kalanianaʻole Highway to flashing yellow lights during low traffic volume hours to give drivers the discretion to decide if it is safe to turn; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Concurrent Resolution be transmitted to the Director of Transportation, Director of the City and County of Honolulu's Department of Transportation Services, and the Honolulu City Council's District Four Councilmember.
OFFERED BY: _____________________________
OFFERED BY:
_____________________________
Report Title: Pedestrian Safety; Transportation; Hawaii Kai
Report Title:
Pedestrian Safety; Transportation; Hawaii Kai