Department of Transportation

Additional money to be used for improvement projects on Hawaii, Oahu, and Kauai

HONOLULU – The Hawaii Department of Transportation (HDOT) Highways Division received notice that it will receive an additional $41,149,572 in funding for its Federal-aid Highway Program through the Federal Highways Administration (FHWA) Fiscal Year 2017 fund redistribution. Hawaii’s share of the funding is the largest amongst states of similar size determined by number of lane miles. ^{[1] [2]}

With the additional money, Hawaii will receive a total of $200 million in new highway funding this federal fiscal year from the Federal-aid Highway Program.

“When I took office, I promised to make better use of federal transportation funds, and I’m proud to report that the pipeline is now the lowest it’s been in 16 years,” said Gov. David Ige. “The HDOT team has cleared $245 million and put that money to work on highway improvements in our communities to improve the quality of life for Hawaii’s residents. In two and a half years we have successfully reduced the pipeline from nearly $750 million to $505 million. I thank the HDOT team for its commitment to achieving the goal.”

“The fact that Hawaii was able to receive additional federal money is a testament to all the hard work the HDOT staff has done to bring down the federal pipeline,” said Division Administrator Ralph Rizzo, of the Federal Highway Administration’s Hawaii Division.

The pipeline, also known as the unexpended federal balance, is the difference between what is obligated for all projects and what we have expended and have been reimbursed for by the federal government. Every state carries an unexpended balance because of the reimbursement nature of the program and the time it takes to deliver projects.

We will continue to make positive progress in reducing the pipeline and are on our way to reaching the agreed upon goal of $450 million in FFY 2018. As of August 31, 2017 the pipeline was $505 million (the goal for the end of FFY 2017 was $525m).

The projects that will benefit from the additional funding are:

• H-1 Freeway Eastbound Improvements
• Kuhio Highway Resurfacing
• Kuhio Highway Safety Improvements
• Hawaii County’s Mamalahoa Highway Project

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[1] Federal-Aid Highway Program Obligation Limitation – Redistribution of Fiscal Year (FFY) 2017 Obligation Limitation (August Redistribution). FHWA Resources – Legislation, Regulations and Guidance. https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/legsregs/directives/notices/n4520247.cfm

[2] State & Urbanized Area Statistics. FHWA Office of Highway Policy Information. https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/ohim/onh00/onh2p11.htm