Missed Opportunities - Broadband and Highway Modernization
Highlighting additional missed opportunities by the Democrat-controlled Legislature this session, Governor Lingle and leaders from the departments of Transportation and Commerce and Consumer Affairs shared their disappointment at legislators' last-minute failure to pass two major initiatives that would have modernized Hawai`i's transportation and information technology infrastructure.
Governor Lingle and DOT Director Brennon Morioka discuss actions the Administration will take to maintain Hawai`i's highways despite the Legislature's failure to pass the Highways Modernization Plan.
"How can we be a center of innovation without a good communications infrastructure?" Governor Lingle asked, noting that a 21st century information highway is critical for competitive advancements in education, health care diagnosis and treatment, public safety, research and innovation, creative media, e-government, and our overall economic transformation.
The Lingle-Aiona Administration worked collaboratively with the Legislature’s Hawai`i Broadband Task Force, key members of the House and Senate, and industry representatives to develop a Broadband Initiative proposal, which received support from Senator Daniel Inouye and was in alignment with the goals President Obama is embarking upon nationally.
Although this critical legislation was not passed, the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs is committed to pursuing this initiative in the next legislative session and will also take the lead in competing for $200 million in federal stimulus funds for broadband infrastructure projects.
Department of Transportation Director Brennon Morioka shared an update about the Highways Modernization Plan, which would have implemented critical highway projects and programs aimed at reducing traffic congestion, improving highway safety, maintaining roads, and saving motorists time and money.
"This plan was the right thing to do, at the right time, and for the right reasons," said Morioka, adding that investing in infrastructure would have put residents back to work.
Sympathetic to the financial challenges residents are experiencing, the six-year, $4.2 billion plan had a built-in funding structure that only would have kicked in after job growth had increased by 1 percent for two consecutive quarters. Moreover, the plan would have given residents a sizeable return for their investment - saving them time on the roads by reducing traffic, and lowering the amount of money spent on gas.
"While it is important to be sensitive to the current financial situation of our families and businesses, we also need to plan for the future when the economy rebounds, and not just sit and wait for it to happen. This idea of an economic trigger tied to future growth in the economy means that we can do both," the Governor explained during a news conference in January to announce the initiative.
Noting the department's plans to introduce legislation next year, Morioka said, "The public will have to wait one year longer for the infrastructure they want."
In the meantime, the department will move forward on improvements already in progress, including plans to add a 6.2-mile contraflow lane starting at the Radford Drive overpass and ending at the Waiawa Interchange (H1-H-2 merge) and improve traffic flow on the H-1 freeway by widening the Middle Street merge.
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Watch this news conference.
