The Hawaii Department of Transportation (HDOT) understands people are concerned about postponing large capacity projects. However, building new and expensive roads does not make sense if the state does not have the money to maintain the roads it already has.
From a practical perspective, the focus on system preservation and safety makes sense and is supported by federal legislation.
As it has stated, HDOT is working with the budget and funding available and focusing on preservation and safety projects to repair the aging infrastructure, improve the functionality and dependability of the system. In order to fund this, HDOT will not be moving forward with capacity projects, which focus on building expensive new roads, have higher impacts to the environment and take much longer to complete.
Per Gov. David Ige’s initiatives, HDOT is moving forward with cheaper oper- ational improvements that can be implemented quicker than the larger projects. HDOT will:
>> Add a contraflow lane during the peak afternoon travel periods in Nanakuli;
>> Repurpose shoulders into shoulder lanes during peak commute times;
>> Add a second Zipper Lane.
It has already increased the hours for shoulder and Zipper Lanes on the H-1 Freeway and adjusted high-occupancy vehicle (HOV) lanes to allow more users. These operational improvements will continue statewide, in partnership with county agencies, to increase the efficiency.
The department’s priorities have been consistent and the rationale for the proposed increases in user fees was widely circulated. The Honolulu Star-Advertiser’s editorial piece, “DOT must explain road priorities” (Our View, July 8,), contained highly inaccurate contentions.
HDOT leadership explained the need for additional revenues to make investments on system preservation and safety, while continuing the capacity-building program. It discussed the impacts to the program should funding not be increased on numerous occasions with the public, lawmakers and media. A detailed Frequently Asked Questions document regarding House Bill 2409/Senate Bill 2938, the user fee increase bills, was sent to every lawmaker in March.
HDOT leadership requested meetings with each lawmaker to discuss the department’s needs and the impacts of not receiving the additional funding. The user fee increase bills were discussed at various public meetings, including Pearl City on Feb. 18, Aiea on March 22 and Mililani on March 23.
The proposals were the subject of numerous media stories, including in the Star-Advertiser. The stories clearly state HDOT is shifting resources toward system preservation over capacity projects. This is also not a new discussion as previous administrations had broached this subject with the community and Legislature.
Sixteen state senators clearly understood the need for the additional funding and we thank them for their support. Regrettably the bill still did not pass the House Transportation Committee. The $37 million approved by the state Legislature this last session will be used to expedite more special maintenance projects and is very much appreciated. However, it is a one-time infusion of funds that HDOT will not be able to sustain a capacity program with.
It is important to understand that HDOT is self-sustained. General fund money is not used to build, operate or maintain the highways system. Historically, HDOT does not receive money from the general excise tax, income tax or sales tax. Instead, money comes from the State Highway Fund, which is supported by those who own vehicles and buy fuel. The user fees — gas tax, registration fee and vehicle weight fee — and the federal apportionment are the primary sources of funding.
The impacts of the user fee proposals were communicated long before the final vote in the Legislature. With the needs of the highways system outweighing available funding, the discussions will continue.
SB2938 FAQ by Honolulu Star-Advertiser on Scribd
Ford Fuchigami is director of the Hawaii Department of Transportation.
