DENNIS ODA / DODA@STARBULLETIN.COM Gov. Linda Lingle -- surrounded by police officers, including Chief Boisse Correa, left -- presented some of her traffic solutions yesterday.

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Lingle’s traffic
plan includes
Dem ideas

Her proposals address excessive
speeding and pedestrian traffic

Two initiatives previously sponsored by state Democratic lawmakers are among a package of traffic safety proposals Gov. Linda Lingle will introduce next month when the state Legislature convenes.

Drive for safety Here's a look at five traffic safety initiatives that Gov. Linda Lingle will propose to the state Legislature next year: » Establish a three-stage graduated driver licensing program for people under age 18. » Increase penalties and fines for excessive speeding. » Suspend the driver's license for 90 days of any person under 21 who is caught drinking anywhere. » Require motorists to stop when a person steps into the crosswalk to cross the street. » Make it illegal to possess, sell, manufacture, import or distribute traffic-control devices or mobile-infrared transmitters. (Such devices are used legally by emergency-vehicle operators to change traffic signals during emergencies.)

"We had a very hard-fought year. The election is over. The public expects results whether we are a Republican or Democrat, or a neighbor island or an Oahu member of the Legislature, or governor," Lingle said. "They want to see some real improvements made."

One measure would impose graduated, age-based restrictions on teenage drivers, and the other would increase the penalties for "excessive" speeding. Both proposals failed to win approval in the past Legislature.

The Democrats who introduced the ideas, House Transportation Chairman Rep. Joseph Souki (D, Wailuku-Waikapu) and Vice Chairman Rep. Kirk Caldwell (D, Manoa-University), were present yesterday when Lingle unveiled her traffic safety initiatives.

"Governor, I applaud you and I am hoping that this is a new sign of working together with the state House and the state Senate and the governor to get meaningful legislation done for the people of Hawaii," Caldwell said.

Souki promised to give Lingle's initiatives a fair hearing and suggested the proposals might also be part of the yet-unveiled House Democratic package. He also said Democrat leaders in the House are considering proposals to allow the counties to raise revenues through taxes or other means to pay for rail transit.

"Rail will be a major issue for the Legislature," Souki said.

Lingle's other traffic safety proposals would:

She also announced a new state Department of Transportation program designed to keep freeway traffic flowing by clearing stalled vehicles quickly.

State Department of Transportation Director Rod Haraga hopes to start the Freeway Service Patrol by the end of next summer. Six service trucks -- four on H-1 freeway between Middle Street and the Waiawa Interchange, and two on Moanalua Freeway -- will patrol the roadway to assist stranded motorists.

"If you're stuck, we're going to get you off, put you in a safe place and continue our freeway service patrol," Haraga said.

State officials are still negotiating with Honolulu police on when patrol truck operators will be allowed to move vehicles involved in collisions. The program is expected to cost $2 million, with the federal government paying 80 percent.

The state will seek bids from private companies to operate the patrols Monday through Friday, from 5 a.m. to 7 p.m.