HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0679.008 2022-2024 P/PCPLUO
125
Cott.619
From: Sharlene Gee
Sent: Monday, January 22, 2024 11:17 AM
To: Council Testimony ?,
Subject: Testimony AGAINST County Bill 125
Dear County Council, =r.
I, Sharlene Gee, would like to testify against Bill 125.
Please work to ensure safety for all forms of transportation and not prohibit alternate forms of
transportation on our roads. Hawai'i public roads should be accessible for motorized as well as self-
propelled modes of transportation.
In cases where the roads are narrow and winding, the motorized vehicles need to observe safe
passing rules, same as when passing slower motorized vehicles (such as mopeds). Warning signs
that bicycles may be on the road are warranted in many cases. Roads in the Kohala area are actually
wider and in better shape than other roads, such as Mamalahoa Hwy, and should be safer for
bicyclists. As a cyclist, it is frightening to experience road rage, e.g., to have an aggressive car/truck
driver act out by swerving, or accelerating agressively to pass, or yelling out the window. Cyclists are
allowed to be on the road and have the responsibility, like other vehicles, to drive courteously and
safely. Rather than reinforce the misguided notion that bikes are not allowed on the road, it should
be made clear that vehicles have a responsibility to drive safely around other modes of transportation.
Administration should follow the Complete Streets policy. The State
Department of Transportation and the County transportation departments are required to adopt a
complete streets policy that seeks to reasonably accommodate convenient access and mobility for all
users of the public highways within their respective jurisdictions, including pedestrians, bicyclists,
transit users, motorists, and persons of all ages and abilities, pursuant to Hawaii Revised Statutes
("HRS") section 264-20.5 .
Bill 125 is a slippery slope for cyclists and could create undue aggression towards all cyclists riding in
the Kohala area as well as open the door to the restriction of roads in other districts. While this bill
might be an effort to increase safety and reduce potential conditions, denying the use of roadways
shouldn't be the first and only choice.
Please keep our roads open to all users and do not support Bill 125.
Mahalo,
Sharlene Gee
79-7110 Mamalahoa Hwy
Holualoa, HI 96725
Comm. No U S
Ref. To:
1
Ref. Dose ' AN 2 3 2024