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SR 87

URGING THE COUNTIES TO INTEGRATE THE SAFE SYSTEM APPROACH INTO ROAD AND TRANSPORTATION DESIGN, ESPECIALLY WHEN REDUCING OR ELIMINATING OFF-STREET PARKING REQUIREMENTS, TO INCREASE PEDESTRIAN SAFETY.

2026 Regular Session Introduced by Joy San Buenaventura

Hawaii counties urged to integrate pedestrian-safe road design when reducing parking requirements, using the Safe System Approach to prevent traffic injuries.

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#counties #pedestriansafety #roaddesign #safestreetsandroadsforall #safesystemapproach #transportation
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Bill Summary · SR 87

Legislative bill overview

SR 87 is a non-binding resolution urging Hawaii counties to adopt the "Safe System Approach" when redesigning roads and transportation infrastructure, particularly when reducing off-street parking requirements. The Safe System Approach is a highway safety philosophy that assumes human error is inevitable and designs infrastructure to prevent serious injuries and fatalities through multiple layers of protection (speed management, crash-protective design, emergency care).

Why is this important

As counties reduce parking mandates to encourage transit use and walkability, there's a risk that freed-up space could be repurposed without prioritizing pedestrian safety. This resolution seeks to ensure that transportation redesigns systematically integrate safety features—such as protected bike lanes, traffic calming, intersection design, and appropriate speed limits—rather than simply removing parking and hoping for the best. This is particularly relevant in dense urban areas where parking reduction often accompanies development.

Potential points of contention

  • Non-binding nature: As a resolution, it carries no legal force; counties can ignore it, making effectiveness dependent on voluntary compliance and political will
  • Implementation costs: Safe System infrastructure (protected lanes, signal upgrades, road redesigns) requires significant capital investment that may strain county budgets already managing parking revenue loss
  • Car-dependent areas: Rural or sprawling communities may view reduced parking and safety retrofits as economically harmful to local businesses and property access, creating political resistance

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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