Summer streets pilot, e-bike rules headline Hawaiʻi’s modest transportation wins

The 2026 legislative session left transportation equity advocates with some bruises. Priorities such as Keiki Ride Free, Pedestrian Head Start and jaywalking reform didn’t cross the finish line this year. 

But a session isn’t defined solely by its failures. And we can’t move forward without acknowledging and celebrating what did pass. 

Two bills we supported passed this year. They’re not everything we wanted. But they reflect a growing recognition that Hawaiʻi’s streets need to work for more people than just those behind a steering wheel.

Summer Streets: Party in the Right-of-Way

SB3029 establishes a Summer Streets Pilot Program statewide. Each county—in collaboration with the Hawaiʻi Community Development Authority—will temporarily close roads to cars and open them up for pedestrians, cyclists, and community activities.

Summer Streets programs have been running in cities around the world for decades. The results are consistent: when governments give people space on streets that are usually dominated by cars, they show up. Families walk. Keiki play. Neighbors meet each other. Local businesses benefit. 

Most importantly, people get a lived experience of what their streets could feel like with less emphasis on cars. That changes the conversation about what’s possible for the larger transportation reform effort.

For car-dependent Hawaiʻi, where walking and biking often feel unsafe or impractical, Summer Streets is more than just a fun event. It’s a chance to reimagine public space and build public support for permanent changes like better sidewalks, protected lanes and slower, safer streets for everyone.

E-Bikes: Badly-Needed Legal Clarity

E-bikes have become a big part of how people get around in Hawaiʻi, particularly for young people and working families navigating the high cost of car ownership and fuel. 

For years, the legal framework around electric bicycles has been murky. Riders didn’t know where they stood in terms of classification. Enforcement agencies had no clear guidance. That’s a recipe for uneven and inequitable enforcement.

HB2021 changes that by doing something simple: defining e-bikes. The bill establishes three classes of e-bikes based on speed and motor capability. It sets clear rules for where each class can and cannot operate. It requires labeling and signage from sellers so that riders know what they’re buying and what the rules are. And it restricts high-speed electric devices—the powerful devices that have caused serious injuries—from places like schools and shared-use paths.

Clarity protects people. When the rules are vague, enforcement falls hardest on those who can’t navigate the gray areas. A clear, consistent classification system signals that e-bikes are a legitimate mode of transportation, not an afterthought.

Bonus: The Crosswalk Bill We’re Watching Closely

At first pass, SB3234 sounds like an easy win to celebrate. The bill authorizes the Hawaiʻi Department of Transportation to use funds for crosswalk improvements near school sites. 

Keeping keiki safe on their way to and from school is an essential component of our safe streets advocacy. But the details matter. 

The funding in SB3234 includes $2 million from the Safe Routes to School (SRTS) fund—money that is overseen by an advisory committee with a rigorous criteria and process for evaluating which sites get investment and why. Bypassing that process, even for a good cause, raises serious questions about how these decisions get made and who gets to make them.

Hawaiʻi Appleseed supports safer crossings near schools. But the SRTS advisory committee exists for good reason. Its expertise and process should be respected, not side-stepped. How this funding gets implemented will matter. We’ll be watching closely.

The Bigger Picture

These bills are a starting point, not a finish line. 

SB3029 is a pilot. Its impact will depend entirely on how counties implement it, and whether the state follows through with meaningful investment. 

HB2021 is a regulatory framework, not a funding mechanism. It doesn’t put e-bikes in the hands of people who can’t afford them, or build the infrastructure that makes riding safe.

But progress on transportation equity rarely arrives all at once. It comes in layers—a pilot program here, a clear legal definition there, a coalition that grows a little stronger each session. 

These wins are part of that longer arc, and we’re glad to see them.