HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0609.092 2022-2024 P /CounciI
Dill 107
C OMM.roai
From: Norris Thomlinson
Sent: Monday,January 22, 2024 10:31 PM
To: Council Testimony
Subject: Please expand solutions studied with Bill 107 funding
Attachments: signature.asc
Aloha Council Members,
I'm concerned about the narrow focus of the proposed Puna Makai Alternate Route Study. It only seems to consider building
additional roads for cars,and ignores alternatives which can reduce traffic congestion beyond the short term.The result of
building new roads has been well studied in the US and in other countries:though congestion usually does decrease for a few
years, induced demand causes people to take more and longer trips in personal vehicles.The congestion soon becomes as bad
as ever, but with a higher baseline of driving.The increased driving means more carbon emissions;and more environmental,
health,social, and economic costs to everyone in the region.See https://theconversation.com/do-more-roads-really-mean-
less-congestion-for-commuters-39508 for a good introduction to the counterintuitive problem of new roads not actually
reducing congestion in the medium-and long-term.
Reducing traffic congestion requires understanding people's reasons for moving from one place to another,and addresses
transportation needs in multiple ways.Our public transit system has greatly improved in the last decade, but still needs more
investment for it to be a comprehensive alternative to driving personal vehicles.We're especially weak in safe routes for
bicyclists and pedestrians. More fundamentally,we need to reorient development towards self-sufficiency at household,
neighborhood,and district scales,so that people live close to where we meet our needs.
These options reduce vehicle miles traveled, and increase community health and resiliency. Please use the funding available
from Bill 107 to study these more sustainable solutions, not to study building more roads for cars.
Mahalo, C
Norris Thomlinson r '
Living Planet Alliance cnT
Kapoho
3 7.77
IN
-.-.
Comm. N . U ,
Ref. To:
Ref. Date 2 4 2024
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