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Study: Isles
poorly use fed
funds on transport

The state transportation chief
says the study didn't look
at the overall picture

By Gordon Y.K. Pang
Star-Bulletin

The state ranks in the bottom 30 percent when it comes to using federal dollars for safety and alternatives to travel by car, according to a nationwide survey.

"Our state transportation officials are failing to use their federal money to diversify our transportation choices," said Donna Wong of Hawaii's Thousand Friends, the local environmental group affiliated with the survey, conducted by the nonprofit Surface Transportation Policy Project.

State Transportation Director Kazu Hayashida said the survey looked only at a narrow segment of the department's programs.

In the survey of 50 states, highest-ranking ones spent higher percentages of federal transportation dollars on safety measures, fixing highways and programs involving the use of transit, bicycling or walking. States ranked least favorable spent more on new highways.

Wong did note that Hawaii's use of federal dollars for alternate transportation rose to 26 percent in 1998-99 from 17 percent in 1991.

According to the survey:

Hawaii was one of eight states not to use monies from the Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality and Enhancement Projects program for what's defined as "projects with long-term benefits" by encouraging such things as transit, bicycling and walking. Instead, the survey said, the state spent most of the $20.5 million it received for the program on new highways.

Hawaii ranked 30th in average annual spending per capita on safety -- $2.46. The national average was $3.23.

Hawaii spent 1.6 percent of its "flexible" federal transportation dollars on buses, bikeways or sidewalks. The national average was 6.5 percent.

Hayashida said the study did not take into account that counties provide most alternate transit programs in Hawaii. He said his department has funded the Zipper Lane, without federal monies, and VanPool, with federal dollars, that encourage people to carpool.

Hayashida said it's unfair to say the state has been using most of its U.S. funds for new highways since improvements to Kalanianaole Highway and H-1 fall under the new highway category. Also, the report did not give credit for safety improvements, bike lanes and other enhancements that are part of larger-scale projects, he said.