Maui Community

Please provide your crucial comments and support for the following budget items in Maui Mayor’s Budget Proposal  for Fiscal Year 2016.

 For Hawai‘i’s resident population, cultural practices and outdoor recreation are deeply intertwined. There is an on-going demand for access to nature specifically a need for more and safer walking paths, trails, bike paths and sidewalks.

 The Mayor’s current budget proposal shows his change in support of Complete Streets representing the recognition for the need to create a comprehensive, integrated and connected transportation network including walking and bicycling for improved safety, better health, increased efficiency and convenience of choices.

 The elements in the budget that are in need of your support are;

 -- Northshore Greenway, Phase 4.  $1.75 million to build the remaining approx. mile of right-of-way between Baldwin Park and Spreckelsville, creating a complete non-motorized route between Kanaha Beach Park and Paia. If the project is completed as projected, it will have only required 25 years to complete.

-- Kihei Greenway, Phase 2. $2 million about a half mile between Lipoa Street and Halekuai Street. This will connect the existing greenway route to Kihei and Lokelani Schools and the soon-to-be developed community park. Long overdue.

-- Paia School, Safe Routes to School, $1 million, on top of $1.15 million from last year, basically to make the section of Baldwin Avenue between the school and Skill Village safe for kids walking and riding bikes to school.

-- Central Maui Bike and Pedestrian Study. $150,000 for planning of projects on Papa Avenue in Kahului and Waiale Road. Small but better than being ignored.

-- Countywide Bikeways. $300,000. Can be used for any bike-related project. Been the same annual amount since 1992 (literally.)

-- Countywide Safety Improvements. $400,000. “create more opportunities for alternative, non-motorized modes of transportation,” “address capacity and circulation issues.” Could be used for bike-ped safety or car issues.

-- Countywide sidewalk improvements, $400,000.

-- Countywide traffic calming, $200,000.

Bike paths exemplify the connectivity of a community to resources with the lowest possible impact to the environment and the maximum potential for public enjoyment. 

  These budget items are in compliance at minimum with the Federal Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) program established in 1964,  Bike Plan Hawaii 2003, Statewide Pedestrian Master Plan (Plan), Maui County-adopted “Complete Streets” policies,  Coastal Zone Management Act chapter 205, as well as the Statewide Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan 2 0 1 5.

  Explicitly stating, safe walking and bicycling environment is essential to Hawaii’s populations need for better physical fitness while improving public transportation. Governance need to reduce barriers that prevent people from participating in outdoor recreation and to promote opportunities for all people to get outdoors, irrespective of age and ability. Proper planning, budgeting and implementation to provide for public transportation customers and transit vehicles can create new partnerships and a transportation network that encourages healthy, active travel while reducing congestion.

We still have a chance here on Maui if we start now by providing bike/pedestrian infrastructure understanding that people who travel by foot or on bicycle are legitimate users of the transportation system and equally deserving of safe facilities to accommodate their travel.

Please pass the aforementioned budget items without amendments.

 

Respectively

 

Maui Community