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Committee approves two-year Summer Streets pilot for smaller counties
Summary
Lawmakers advanced HB 1260 to let counties with populations under 250,000 run pilot open-streets events; the bill includes reporting requirements and a blanked appropriation for later review.
The House Committee on Transportation on Feb. 13 voted to advance HB 1260, creating a two-year Summer Streets pilot program that allows participating counties to close roadways for a limited number of hours to prioritize walking, cycling and community events.
The committee amended the bill to limit the pilot to counties with populations of 250,000 or fewer, require annual reports to the legislature consolidated and submitted by the Department of Transportation, set a two-year sunset unless the legislature extends the program, and leave appropriation amounts blank for later consideration. Proponents testified that open-streets events have an international history dating to Bogota and countries worldwide and can increase physical activity and local economic activity.
"We have many places on each island that are beautiful roads, and we're asking for a few hours a year that it would be closed to vehicular traffic," said a representative of the Hawaii Bicycling League, citing prior local pilots and international examples. Department of Health testimony described public-health benefits and referenced local Play Streets pilots.
The committee required participating counties and DOT to submit annual assessments of benefits and drawbacks, traffic- and pedestrian-related data, and feedback from participating businesses, law enforcement and partners no later than 30 days before each regular legislative session. The committee also limited the pilot to a two-year trial and required DOT to act as the central reporter to the legislature to avoid multiple separate county submissions.
Ending: With amendments, HB 1260 moves forward as a funded pilot in name but with specific appropriation levels left to future deliberation; the committee directed reporting requirements to allow assessment of benefits and impacts prior to any extension.
