Highways

Gov. Ige signs bills to form a red light running committee, clarify pedestrian right-of-way, and adopt Vision Zero.

HONOLULU – The Hawaii Department of Transportation (HDOT) reports that the following bills passed in the 2019 Legislature have been signed into law by Gov. David Ige:

• Senate Bill 663 – Adds a new chapter to the Hawaii Revised Statutes on Photo Red Light Imaging Detector Systems effective on July 1, 2050; directs the department of transportation to establish a red light running committee to review the act and present recommendations to the legislature.
• Senate Bill 98 – Clarifies that vehicles must stop for pedestrians when any part or extension of the pedestrian is beyond the curb or edges of a traversable roadway or when the pedestrian moves onto the roadway within an intersection or crosswalk.
• Senate Bill 693 – Adds language on countdown timers to HRS 291C-33. Per the new language “…no pedestrian shall start to cross the roadway in the direction of such signal [i.e., a signal equipped with a countdown timer] once the countdown begins, but any pedestrian who has partially completed … crossing when the countdown begins shall complete the crossing to a sidewalk or safety island before the countdown timer ends.”
• House Bill 757 – Requires HDOT and the county transportation departments to adopt a Vision Zero policy that seeks to prevent and ultimately eliminate traffic fatalities through a combination of engineering, enforcement, education, and emergency response strategies with a focus on equity.

“The bills signed into law by Gov. Ige today are a tremendous boost to our highway safety programs,” said Hawaii Department of Transportation Deputy Director for Highways Ed Sniffen. “We thank the Governor, the State legislature, and our Transportation Committee Chairs for their guidance and support this past session and for having the vision to get these bills passed.”

For the full text of the new laws visit:

Red Light Running Committee https://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/session2019/bills/SB663_CD1_.HTM

Clarification of when a vehicle must yield to a pedestrian planning to or crossing https://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/session2019/bills/SB98_CD1_.HTM

Clarification of what a pedestrian must do when crossing with pedestrian signals https://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/session2019/bills/SB693_CD1_.HTM

Adoption of state Vision Zero policy https://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/session2019/bills/HB757_CD1_.HTM

Photos from the bill signing are available at the links below:

Photo of Gov. Ige signing Vision Zero policy into law: https://hidot.hawaii.gov/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/IMG_02711.jpg

Photo of Gov. Ige and traffic safety stakeholders with the signed laws: https://hidot.hawaii.gov/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/IMG_02731.jpg

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