Minutes of the

Oahu Metropolitan Planning Organization

 

POLICY COMMITTEE

 

Thursday, March 23, 2006, 2:00 p.m.

Honolulu Hale, Council Committee Room, room 205

530 South King Street, Honolulu, Hawaii

 

Members Present:

Representative Marilyn Lee, Chair

Representative Mark Moses

Councilmember Todd Apo, Vice Chair

Rodney Haraga, DOT Director

Councilmember Romy Cachola

Melvin Kaku, Acting DTS Director

 

Members Absent:  Councilmember Charles Djou, Councilmember Ann Kobayashi, Councilmember Gary Okino, Representative Joseph Souki, Senator Will Espero, Senator Lorraine Inouye, Senator Brian Kanno

 

Invited Resource Guest(s) Present:  Laura Thielen (DBEDT-OP Director)

 

Guests Present:

Dennis Galolo (Councilmbr Cachola staff)

 

Bob McGraw (American Plng Assn, CAC)

Stan Fichtman (Councilmbr Djou staff)

 

Dale Evans (Charley’s Taxi, CAC)

Robert Sato (Councilmbr Okino staff)

 

Katsumi Tanaka (E Noa Corp, CAC)

Haruki Fukumitsu (Senator Kanno staff)

 

Darci Evans (HI Highway Users Alliance, CAC)

Mandie Pearson (Senator Fukunaga staff)

 

Charles Carole (NB #10, CAC, Vice Chair)

Dennis Toyoma (DDC)

 

Wendell Lum (NB #30, CAC)

Patrick Tom (DOT)

 

Michael Golojuch (NB #34, CAC)

Jill Yamanouchi (DOT)

 

Michael Costa (Teamsters Local 996, CAC)

Glenn Yasui (DOT)

 

Cliff Slater (HonoluluTraffic.com)

Toru Hamayasu (DTS)

 

L. Gary Bautista (NB #23)

Liz Fischer (FHWA)

 

Shannon Wood (Windward Ahupua’a Alliance)

Frank Genadio (Committee for Balanced

 

Kyle Nakamoto (Kahelelani resident)

  Transportation (CBT), CAC)

 

Richard Nakamoto (Kahelelani resident)

Joe Magaldi (CBT, CAC, Chair)

 

Kathryn Oda (Kahelelani resident)

 

OMPO Staff Present:  Gordon Lum (Executive Director), Shevaun Low, Laureen Brennan, Susan Sato, Pamela Toyooka

 

Chair Marilyn Lee called the meeting to order at 2:14 p.m.  A quorum was present.  Chair Lee recognized the presence of Laura Thielen, representing the Office of Planning. 

 

I.          APPROVAL OF MEETING MINUTES

 

I. A.     January 5, 2006 Minutes (with a continuation on January 13, 2006)

There being no objections, the minutes of the January 5, 2006 meeting (with a continuation on January 13, 2006) were approved.

 

I. B.     February 15, 2006 Minutes

There being no objections, the minutes of the February 15, 2006 meeting were approved.

 

II.                CITIZEN ADVISORY COMMITTEE (CAC) MEMBERSHIP REQUESTS

 

Gordon Lum provided an overview of each of the organizations requesting CAC membership:  Hawaii Highway Users Alliance and the North Shore Neighborhood Board (NB) #27.  He noted that both organizations had attended the required four meetings during a 12-month period and had requested CAC membership.

 

Representative Mark Moses moved and Vice Chair Todd Apo seconded that the Hawaii Highway Users Alliance and the North Shore NB #27 be approved for membership in the CAC.  The motion carried unanimously.

 

III.             OAHU TRANSPORTATION IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM (TIP) FYs 2006 - 2008

 

III.A.   Approval of Amendment #2 (Administrative)

 

Mr. G. Lum provided an overview of fiscal years (FYs) 2006-2008 TIP Amendment #2.  Project S63 (H-1 Addition and Modification of Freeway Access at the Palailai and Makakilo Interchanges) was modified in the following ways: 

1.   Funding was changed from local to federal; and

2.   $7.9 million in funds were earmarked for construction.

Mr. G. Lum added that the project has received support from the Palehua Community Association and the Makakilo/Kapolei/Honokai Hale NB #34.

 

At 2:19 p.m., Councilmember Romy Cachola left the meeting.  Because a quorum was no longer present, Chair Lee recessed the meeting.  At 2:28 p.m., Councilmember Cachola returned to the meeting.  A quorum was now present; and the meeting was called back to order.

 

Representative Moses moved and Rodney Haraga seconded that the FYs 2006-2008 TIP Amendment #2 be approved.  The motion carried unanimously.

 

III.B.   Approval of Amendment #3 (Non-Administrative)

 

Mr. G. Lum provided an overview of the FYs 2006-2008 TIP Amendment #3.  He noted that the amendment includes the deletion of 13 projects and the addition of 11 projects.  Mr. G. Lum presented the results from the Congestion Management System (CMS) analysis of the TIP amendment; adding that the amendment is consistent with the Oahu Regional Transportation Plan, is compliant with Title VI and environmental justice principles, and contains no Intelligent Transportation System projects. 

 

Three projects to be deleted from TIP Amendment #3 were previously ranked in the CMS:  S20 (H-1 Waiawa IC, Westbound, Additional Westbound Lane); S21 (H-1, Waiawa IC, Waipahu Street Off-ramp Improvements); and S53 (Leeward Community College Second Access).  These projects will be deleted from the TIP because they are not ready-to-go.  One project was added: Project S73 (H-1, Kinau Street Improvements).  This project was tied for 5th in the CMS ranking.


TIP Amendment #3 was distributed for public review.  Public comments were received – copies of which were provided to the Policy Committee.  The Technical Advisory Committee recommended that the Policy Committee approve Amendment #3. 

 

Testimony

Kyle Nakamoto (Kahelelani resident):  Testified in opposition of deleting Project C8 (Kapunahala Stream Flood Control Project, Kaneohe, TMK: 4-5-23 & 24) from the TIP.

 

Richard Nakamoto (Kahelelani resident):  Testified in opposition of deleting Project C8 from the TIP.

 

Wendell Lum:  Testified in opposition of deleting Project C8 from the TIP.

 

Kathryn Oda (Kahelelani resident):  Testified in opposition of deleting Project C8 from the TIP.

 

Representative Moses moved and Director Haraga seconded that TIP Amendment #3 be approved. 

 

Discussion

·        In response to Councilmember Cachola, Mr. G. Lum clarified that the reason Project C8 is being deleted from the TIP is that it is not ready-to-go.  Also, the agencies expressed a concern that, if the federal funds secured by Senator Daniel Inouye are not used by the end of fiscal year 2006, the funds could lapse.

 

·        In response to a question from Representative Moses, Eugene Lee, Acting Director for the City Department of Design and Construction, clarified that the planning and designing of Project C8 will continue.  He expects that the project will be ready-to-go at the end of calendar year 2007.  Director Haraga added that the State is also in discussion with Senator Inouye’s office about obtaining additional funds for Project C8 when design is complete.

 

·        In response to a question from Councilmember Apo, Glenn Yasui, Highway Administrator for the Hawaii Department of Transportation (HDOT), said that HDOT is proceeding with work on all of the projects being deleted from the FYs 2006-2008 TIP, so that they will be ready-to-go. 

 

There being no further discussion, a vote was taken.  The motion carried unanimously.

 

IV.       OAHU REGIONAL TRANSPORTATION PLAN (ORTP) 2030

 

Mr. G. Lum provided a status report on the ORTP.  He noted that the Draft ORTP 2030 was presented to the Policy Committee in January and to the public in February, with over 100 people attending the public meeting.  OMPO received 651 comments on the projects and plan.

 

Results from the home-telephone survey were also presented.  Mr. G. Lum noted that improvements to H-1 was top-rated for congestion relief, and the Waianae Coast was top-rated for communities needing a second access.  Additional information was collected on rail transit, high-occupancy toll lanes, and a Pearl Harbor bridge or tunnel. 

 

The public and agency comments received, the information from the home telephone survey, and the CMS results (to indicate the congestion relief potential for selected projects) were evaluated by technical and consultant staff.  As a result, modifications were made to the projects presented in the Draft ORTP 2030.  These modifications were also evaluated by technical and consultant staff.  Cost estimates were provided for most of the projects.  The list of project modifications was mailed to those requesting to be on OMPO’s mailing list and was posted on OMPO’s website.  This was also presented to the CAC at its March 15, 2006 meeting. The deadline for comments is Friday, March 31, 2006.

 

Mr. G. Lum highlighted a few of the project modifications:

·        Makakilo Drive Extension was moved from the long-range time frame (2016-2030) to the mid-range time frame (2006-2015).

·        Waianae Second Access (Farrington Highway to Kunia Road) was added to the long-range time frame (2016-2030).

·        Central Mauka Road was moved to the Illustrative list.

·        Three projects were added to increase the capacity on H-1; as a result, the widening of Moanalua Freeway was deleted.

 

Discussion

·        Representative Moses stated that the Waianae Second Access project is very important, not only from a transportation standpoint, but from the standpoint of disaster mitigation and homeland security.  He encouraged that other sources of funding, beyond transportation, be pursued.  In response, Director Haraga noted that HDOT has already begun discussions with the State Department of Defense to use and improve Kolekole Pass as a second access route. 

 

Testimony

Dale Evans (Charley’s Taxi):  Testified that the ORTP 2030: 1) fails to reduce congestion, 2) does not address the needs of the elderly and students, and 3) must comply with the FHWA and FTA laws and regulations in the metropolitan transportation planning process.

 

Katsumi Tanaka (E Noa Corporation):  Testified in support of including public private partnerships in the ORTP 2030.

 

Frank Genadio:  Testified in support of including Project 39,282 (Makakilo Drive, Second Access, Makakilo Drive to North-South Road/Interstate Route H-1 Interchange) in the ORTP 2030.

 

Wendell Lum:  Testified in support of including: 1) a grade-separated light-rail transit system, with the system going along Ala Moana Boulevard rather than through downtown, and 2) a Kaneohe Transit Center in the ORTP 2030.

 

Cliff Slater (HonoluluTraffic.com):  Testified: 1) in opposition to including Project 431B,440 (Rail Transit, Kapolei to Manoa/Waikiki), and 2) in support of including Project 120 (H-1 Corridor, Reversible Highway, Waiawa Interchange to Keehi Interchange) in the ORTP 2030.

 

Chair Lee requested that Mr. Slater provide a copy of his testimony to OMPO.  Mr. Slater agreed.

 

Charles Carole:  Requested that the percentages of Capital Improvement Program figures and federal funding figures, and the length of use of these percentages be clarified.  Mr. Carole also questioned the revenue projections and the cost of rail transit in the ORTP 2030. 

 

Chair Lee requested that Mr. Carole provide a copy of his testimony to OMPO.  Mr. Carole agreed.

 

Representative Moses responded that the revenue projections were presented to the Policy Committee in January.

 

V.  OTHER BUSINESS

 

Mr. G. Lum announced that Environmental Justice Assessment in Racially Diverse Areas – by Steve Young (Honolulu Department of Planning and Permitting), HongLong Li (Parsons Brinckerhoff), and Shevaun Low (OMPO) – had been accepted for publication in the Transportation Research Board (TRB).  This paper was presented at the 2006 TRB poster session.  Less than 1/3 of the papers presented at their annual meeting are actually selected for publication.  This paper describes the Title VI and Environmental Justice methodology developed and used in the OMPO planning process.

 

There being no other business or announcements, the meeting was adjourned at 3:11 p.m.