On right path with bikeways, walkways

According to a recent report published by the Hawaiʻi Appleseed Center for Law & Economic Justice: Between fiscal years 2019 and 2024, 66.3 percent of the Hawaiʻi Department of Transportation (HDOT) budget went toward projects that expand vehicle capacity, while just 1.5 percent was directed toward reducing vehicle travel through alternative transportation options, such as bicycles. This imbalance has led to a transportation system that exacerbates the very problems it aims to solve: higher emissions, more traffic and unmet needs for those relying on non-automotive forms of transportation.

Reducing vehicle miles traveled has direct connections to various health, safety and environmental outcomes. Reducing vehicle travel can improve air quality, cut greenhouse gas emissions, reduce traffic congestion and enhance public safety. One of the report’s conclusions is:

“Ultimately, our government’s transportation budget should reflect the need for an equitable system that prioritizes not just vehicles, but the well-being of Hawaiʻi’s entire population.”

This year’s landmark Navahine v. HDOT settlement should be required reading for policymakers, elected officials and anyone who writes about transportation policy in Hawaiʻi. Some highlights it boldly states: “Complete Streets” policies are, by court order, to be prioritized by HDOT for all road projects beginning in 2025; mandates a $40 million investment in a public EV charging network by 2030 and; requires HDOT to work collaboratively with the counties to complete pedestrian, bicycle, and transit networks statewide.