(Update 3/21) Support Complete Streets in UH Manoa area

Important Update 3/21 (read this first!)

For everyone that missed the 2/13 email, you still have a chance to provide your input! This is a giant opportunity change University Ave, McCully St, and Metcalf St to make them more bicycle and pedestrian friendly – so please take a few minutes to submit your comments! The City has online surveys on the proposed changes, and have until March 31st to respond. So click on the street your interested in (fine if it’s all of them) and help make sure these streets becoming the awesome bicycling and walking streets they can be:

The City is holding a community meeting on planned Complete Streets improvements to University Ave, McCully St, and Metcalf St. This is a big opportunity to make the McCully/Moiliili and UH Manoa neighborhoods more bicycle and pedestrian friendly. Please come to support!

University, McCully, & Metcalf Complete Streets

TUE 2/12 6:30pm

@ Ala Wai Elementary cafeteria (503 Kamoku St)

The University of Hawaii Manoa area Complete Streets plan kicked off in 2018 and many of participate in the initially round of public meetings. This meeting is a next step in the process where the City will be presented proposed changes – so it’s very important that we have supportive voices to make sure the proposals can move forward towards realization!

Action Alert – Testify in Support of Vision Zero (updated 3/15)

Envision Safe Streets for ALL

Envision ZERO Traffic Deaths

Vision Zero is a bold statement that we can and must put safety first. Beyond a statement, Vision Zero must be a policy and program with specific actions to achieve the bold vision. – HB757 would adopt Vision Zero.

Support of HB757

Testify by Sunday 3/17/19

HB757 will make Vision Zero the policy of the State and require counties to adopt Vision Zero and it will create a task force to work on an implementation plan.

HB757 is being heard Monday March 18th at 1:00pm.
Testimony is due by Sunday March 17th.

How to Submit Testimony

1.	Click here to create an account Hawaii legislator (it only takes a second)

2.Click here for HB757

3.	Select “Submit Testimony”

4.	Write your testimony (it doesn’t need to be long)

If you already submitted testimony for HB757 or SB565, please submit again for this hearing (fine to submit the same testimony).

HBL testimony:

If you’re looking for some inspiration/talking points on your testimony, take a look at the HBL testimony by clicking here (pdf document).

More on Vision Zero:

The Swedish Parliament initiated Vision Zero in 1997 and it has since spread around the world. The idea is that we don’t have to accept roadway crashes, that cause serious injuries and fatalities, as normal or inevitable “accidents”. Crashes are not accidents and they can and should be avoided. We have a responsibility to create roadways that are engineered to accommodate for mistakes, to have enforcement that contributes to a culture of following the rules of the road, and to have education so everyone knows how to safely share the road and has a fundamental understanding of why it’s so important.

Engineering – Vision Zero means the transportation department is studying every traffic injury and death to determine the contributing factors, coming with prioritized, specific counter-measures (ex: safety crossing medians to create safer crossings for people walking, speed humps to reduce drivers speeding, bike lanes to provide separation for people on bikes), and finally making sure their is the funding and follow-thru to implement the counter-measures with the speed and urgency like life depends on it.
Enforcement – Vision Zero means that enforcement is in place to deter people from breaking traffic laws and putting others in danger. Similar to engineering, enforcement should be based on an understanding of where and how people are getting killed and injured and specifically designed to deter the known dangerous behaviors (ex: speed enforcement cameras on a street where speeding as a track record of contributing to injuring and killing people).
Education – Vision Zero means that there is education so that safe driving, biking, and walking is the norm and basic expectation. Education should be involved and re-occurring to ensure that everyone on the road is thinking about how their action will prevent a crash and keep others safe.

Enforcement & Bicycle Safety

How do we get more people bicycling and make it safer to cycle?

The 5Es – engineering (infrastructure), education, enforcement, encouragement, and evaluation (to make sure it’s working & to make adjustments) – all play a key and inter-related role.

At HBL, we push for a network of bikeways to provide dedicated places for people to ride, we advocate for laws that will help keep our streets safe for all, we educate bicyclists and motorists on how to safely share our roads, we hold events to get people out feeling comfortable and confident cycling, and we support enforcement focused on making bicyclists, motorists, pedestrians, and everyone safer. All these items have a crucial role to play if we are going to make Hawaii truly bicycle friendly. So when we had the opportunity to have Peter Flucke, a bicycle safety and enforcement expert, conduct a training with HPD we jumped on it.

HPD bicycle safety & enforcement training 1/2/19

Enforcement Focused on Safety

Mr. Flucke (WE BIKE etc) conducted a 3-hour training – “A Law Officer’s Good Practices Guide to Bicycle Safety and Enforcement” – with HPD covering driver and bicyclists violations that contribute to bicycle injuries and fatalities and how to use focused enforcement to address these. At the core of Mr. Flucke’s training is something the idea, one we’ve been working hard to make the common understanding, that traffic crashes are preventable instead of being unpreventable “accidents”. With this starting point, (according Mr. Flucke) here are the main motorist and bicyclist violations that contribute to bicycle crashes, injuries, and fatalities:

Motorist

Speed
Failure to yield right of right-of-way
Disregard signs and signals
Turning and backing
School zone congestion
Alcohol/drugs

Bicyclist

Wrong way riding
Disregard signs and signals
Failure to yield right-of-way
No lights at night

Focusing enforcement on these main violations that contribute to crashes and injuries and fatalities is key to having the greatest impact in making our streets safer.

Enforcing our 3 Foot Safe Passing Law

The training also included a section on how to enforce our new 3 Foot Safe Passing law. Mr. Flucke brought with him a C3FT device – which measures precisely the distance between bike and passing vehicle and can be effectively used to enforce the Safe Passing 3 Foot law. See video demonstrating the C3FT device. As part of our Safe Passing 3 Foot law implementation campaign, HBL will be working to get this tool in the hands of HPD

Partnering for Safer Streets

The training was made possible by HBL and is part our ongoing efforts to partner with HPD to make our streets safer.

Leeward Bikeway update December 2018

The Leeward Bikeway will be transformative to lives of thousands that live, work, and play in Leeward Oahu by providing them a safe biking and walking path. HBL and thousands of advocates have been pushing for implementation as soon as possible. It’s been a long journey – planned since 1977 and since 2014 it’s been HBL’s #1 advocacy priority and we’ve dedicated tons of outreach to build what is now very solid community support. We say with cautious optimism that we are nearing success.

Focus on Phase I – The Hawaii Department of Transportation made the decision to make Phase I a separate project from Phase II. Phase I extends from the end of the Pearl Harbor Bike Path at Waipahu Depot Road to Philippine Sea Road in Ewa (by the Hawaiian Railway Society) – see map below.

Milestones – In June 2018, HDOT published the Final Environmental Assessment for project (link) – this is a major milestone that includes with it the completion of a large portion of the regulatory requirements. As of December 2018, the National Historic Preservation Act Section 106 process (a law and process intended to protect historic priorities) is still outstanding. HBL is an official participant in the Section 106 and we are cautiously optimistic that process will conclude in the next 1-2 months. After completion of this, the Leeward Bikeway Phase I should go to bid and then construction in 6-12 months.

What about Phase II – In separating out Phase II from the Phase I, HDOT has announced that they are deferring implementation of the Phase II section for the foreseeable future. The reasons provided for deferring Phase II are that there are long sections of Phase II where existing utility poles need to either be moved or additional land is needed for the path to avoid them, which would require a lengthy and potentially costly land acquisition process or significantly increase the project cost for relocating utilities. HDOT also says the pre-utility issue project cost estimate of $13M is funding they do not have and based on current funding levels won’t have in future years. Phase II extends from Philippine Sea Road in Ewa (by the Hawaiian Railway Society) and Lualualei Naval Road in Nanakuli – see map below.

Continuing to Advocate for Phase II – We’re not giving up on the full Leeward Bikeway! We plan to continue to organize and advocate – we already have the support of the Nanakuli/Maili and Kapolei Neighborhood Boards, the neighborhoods Phase II will serve. We’ll be reaching out to the area legislators to request their support. We will need your support in this! Please make sure you’re on the list of Leeward Bikeway Supporters so you’ll receive our calls when action is needed.

More info on the Leeward Bikeway – See the Vision! – Click here for our page that provides you extensive information on the Leeward Bikeway.

Leeward Bikeway Phase I map – what HDOT is moving forward with immediately (source – HDOT)

Full Leeward Bikeway – what are continuing to advocate for (source: HDOT)

(update) Kipapa Gulch safety improvements to move forward!

Update 12/3/18

Kamehameha Hwy safety improvements taking shape

The Kamehameha Hwy safety improvements through Kipapa Gulch are quickly becoming a reality – Hawaii DOT is the mostly finished with the safety changes (striping and signage changes). The improvements involve restriping the highway to provide 4-6.5-foot shoulders and a safety median. Combined the safety improvements will make the highway dramatically safer for people that bike, walk, and drive. See the great photo below from Joseph Bradley showing the changes.

Photo and graphic credit – Joseph Bradley

Update 10/23/18

Support Needed 10/24 7:30pm

We’re almost there! Hawaii DOT plans to implement (see below 6/15/18 update). But the Mililani Neighborhood Board has a resolution to ask them to STOP. Please come (again!) this Wednesday 10/24 7:30pm at Mililani Waena Elementary (95-502 Kipapa Dr) to support.

The 35+ people we brought out to each of the previous meetings had a giant impact in making it clear to the Neighborhood Board and HDOT that many in the community support this. Please come out again so we can remind the NB of all the support and convince them to stop this negative resolution.

Mililani/Waipio Neighborhood Board

Wednesday, October 24 7:30pm

@ Mililani Waena Elementary, 95-502 Kipapa Dr

Update 6/15/18

Kamehama Hwy Safety Improvements Approved!

On June 14th, HDOT announced that they are moving forward with safety improvements to Kamehameha Highway! The safety improvements will create consistent minimum 4ft width shoulders and a safety median on Kamehameha Hwy between the Roosevelt Bridge and Lanikuhana Avenue. As part of the planning, HDOT conducted a coned traffic study to study any possible traffic impacts from the safety improvements. The results showed no to minimal impact on traffic flow. HDOT also conducted an analysis of traffic crashes and injuries that showed that head-on collisions are a major issue on Kamehameha Hwy between the Roosevelt Bridge and Lanikuhana Avenue and that the safety improvements would directly address this issue.

Click here to read a Star Advertiser article on the HDOT Kamehameha Hwy safety improvements project.

Click here to view HDOT’s presentation to the Mililani Neighborhood Boar March 28th.

Thank you to over 50 people that came out the Mililani Neighborhood Board to speak in support of the safety improvements – the strong showing demonstrated the need and community support for these crucial safety improvements through Kipapa Gulch.

Stay Involved

While it’s the Kamehameha Hwy safety improvements aren’t on the agenda, they will undoubtedly be discussed at the next Mililani Neighborhood Board 6/27 7:30pm. Please come to out to make sure we have supportive voices present in the conversation. If you can make it, please contact Daniel@hbl.org.

Making a Safer Kamehameha Hwy!

Summary: The Hawaii Department of Transportation is planning to create continuous minimum 4 foot shoulders and a safety median on Kamehameha Hwy through Kipapa Gulch. This would create a safer bike connection between Mililani and Waipio and make the highway dramatically safer for everyone (read more below).

More details on the proposal:

HDOT is proposing safety improvements to Kamehameha Hwy between Ka Uka Blvd and Lanikuhana St. These include:
- create continuous minimum 4 foot shoulders, wider where possible
- create a 6-foot median up the Mililani side of the gulch to improve driver safety
- maintain a 6-foot median up the Waipio side of the gulch for driver safety
The change will be implemented through re-striping the highway, so it’ll be relatively inexpensive and fast.
On the Waipio side, the proposal is to adjust the median to provide the shoulders, while maintaining a 6 foot median for driver safety.
On the Mililani side, the proposal is to eliminate the “climbing lane” for 0.9 miles.

*HDOT is currently upgrading the Roosevelt Bridge (at the bottom of Kipapa Gulch) and will be installing 6 foot shoulders. This bridge work is the impetus for HDOT considering options to have shoulders continuously linking Mililani to Waipio.

How will this address safety for all road users: This is a safety improvement project that will make this section of Kamehameha Highway safer for everyone – those walking, biking, and driving.

Shoulders will dramatically improve safety for those biking and walking.
Shoulders will also improve safety for those driving – among the safety benefits for drivers is that shoulders provide “recovery area” if a driver exits the lane they have space to safely recover.
The 6-foot median will improve safety for drivers (HDOT has said that safety records show that the Waipio side of the gulch which has a median has a better safety record than the Mililani side which doesn’t have a median).

How will this impact traffic: HDOT’s coned traffic study mimicked removal of the “climbing lane” over the week of April 2nd. HDOT’s analysis of the coned traffic study determined there was no to minimal impact on traffic flow. In addition to not negatively impacting traffic flow, there should be a safety benefit for everyone on the highway by reducing speeding motorists.

Safety First: Kamehameha Hwy is the only biking and walking option to get between Mililani and Waipio, so making it safe for those walking and biking must be the first priority. The improvements will also make the highway significantly safer for those driving.