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HCR 52

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 Andrew Garrett

Hawaii urges counties to adopt Safe System traffic design principles, especially when reducing parking requirements, to improve pedestrian safety in transportation planning.

Reported from TRN (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 1680-26), recommending referral to WAL.
#counties #pedestriansafety #roaddesign #safestreetsandroadsforall #safesystemapproach #transportation
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Bill Summary · HCR 52

Legislative bill overview

HCR 52 is a concurrent resolution urging Hawaiian counties to adopt the "Safe System Approach" in road and transportation design, with particular emphasis on integrating safety measures when reducing or eliminating off-street parking requirements. The resolution encourages counties to prioritize pedestrian safety in their infrastructure planning and development policies.

Why is this important

Hawaii has experienced rising pedestrian fatalities in recent years, particularly in urban areas where parking requirements consume significant land. By linking parking requirement reforms to structured safety protocols, this resolution attempts to prevent a common unintended consequence: removing parking requirements without adequate compensatory safety infrastructure, which can increase traffic speed and pedestrian risk. The Safe System Approach is evidence-based methodology emphasizing redundant safety features rather than relying solely on driver behavior.

Potential points of contention

  • Local control vs. state direction: Counties may view this as state interference in local land-use planning and zoning decisions that have significant fiscal and development implications
  • Implementation costs: The Safe System Approach requires substantial infrastructure investment (traffic calming, protected crossings, signal timing); counties may lack funding or prioritize competing needs
  • Parking supply concerns: Business owners and residents worry that eliminating parking requirements without robust alternatives could harm commercial districts and increase street parking congestion in residential areas
  • Definitional vagueness: The resolution doesn't specify which Safe System elements are mandatory or how counties should measure compliance and success

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

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