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REPORT OF THE <br /> COMMITTEE ON PUBLIC WORKS AND <br /> INTERGOVERNMENTAL RELATIONS <br /> <br /> DATE: August 21, 2007 Re: Comm. No. 591/Bill 145 <br /> <br /> PLACE: Council Chambers <br /> 333 Kilauea Avenue <br /> Ben Franklin Building, 2"d Floor <br /> Hilo, HI 96720 <br /> TIME: 12:10 p.m. <br /> Council Chair and Members <br /> Hawaii County Council <br /> Hilo, Hawaii 96720 <br /> Your Committee on Public Works and Intergovernmental Relations, to which was referred <br /> Bill 145, relating to extending the original two-year time period of the designated transportation <br /> kokua zone until December 31, 2009, reports as follows: <br /> Bill 145, transmitted by County Council Chair Pete Hoffman via Communication No. 591, dated <br /> August 2, 2007, relating to an ordinance amending Chapter 18 of the Hawaii County Code 1983 <br /> (2005 Edition, as amended) relating to public transportation. <br /> Your Committee heard testimony in support of the measure from two members of the public. <br /> Your Committee also heard from Tom Brown, Mass Transit Administrator along with his <br /> assistant, Tiffany Kai, regarding extending the original two-year time period of the designated <br /> transportation kokua zone until December 31, 2009. According to Mr. Brown, since the <br /> implementation of the island wide kokua zone program in 2005, his department has seen a <br /> tremendous increase in ridership. They have added buses and routes with this increase. At the <br /> end of this current fiscal year, June 2007 the ridership of 192,000 on the East Hawaii to South <br /> Kohala bus route. The growth of Inter-Kona routes ridership is from 8,500 to 22,000. The <br /> overall ridership increase is especially gratifying for his department. Mr. Brown respectfully <br /> request this program continues another two years. <br /> Your Committee commented and agreed with Mr. Brown that the kokua zone program benefits <br /> are an economic driver and not an economic burden. This mass transportation is an option that <br /> offers our distant workers traveling away from their homes to their place of employment. The <br /> need of increasing our awareness of energy self-sufficiency and lessening traffic is beneficial to <br /> our community. The social benefits with the increase in ridership helps the quality of life for our <br /> community members as they are able to visit with friends, family, shop or travel to doctor's <br /> appointments. <br /> Mr. Brown welcomed all comments, suggestions. Mr. Brown added another benefit for the <br /> riders is the comfort of traveling during long trips and heavy traffic. <br /> <br />