The Importance of Building Sidewalks & Bike Lanes In Hawaii

Presentation By Bethany Anderson

The Problem

• Hawaii has very few areas with sidewalks and not enough bike lanes; this makes it very dangerous for community members to walk or ride bikes and in doing so get exercise. There is even a lack sidewalks surrounding several schools including Waiakea Elementary.

Environmental Impact of driving

• The trip to and from school for most families is approximately 2.5 miles, a 5 mile round trip.

• Approximately 529 pounds of CO2 and nitrous oxide per car/per year gets pumped into the atmosphere just driving your kids back and forth to school (this doesn’t account for idling while waiting for your child to exit the building)

Economic Impact

• Ten miles a day, five days a week for a car that gets 20 miles/gallon costs approximately 50 dollars/month.

• $500/year

Health Impacts of Driving

• Driving in the traffic that backs up during drop off and pick up times can be very stressful, stress has definite impacts on a person’s health and well-being.

• A lack of exercise contributes to weight gain, cholesterol, etc.

• Walking has many health benefits, including a decreased risk of diabetes, cancer, heart disease. Walking also boosts brain power and relieves stress.

The SolutionThe Solution is simple. Hawaii needs

more sidewalks and bike lanes, especially around areas where there are a lot of youth such as schools.

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How Sidewalks Create More Sustainable Lifestyles

Building more sidewalks and bike paths would be sustainable because sidewalks give individuals the opportunity to safely walk instead of drive. With every person who decides to walk instead of drive it reduces Hawaii’s carbon footprint because they are reducing the amount of carbon dioxide released by their car.

Economic Benefits• The cost of fuel is high. Walking whenever

possible will decrease fuel costs and make it easier for families.

• Walking will have many health benefits, decreasing medical costs.

• Having more sidewalks and bike lanes will make Hilo a desirable place to be, increasing property values.

Environmental Benefits

• Less cars…less CO2 • Less cars…less traffic• Less cars…less noise

• Unintentional pedestrian injuries are the second leading cause of death in the United States for children ages 5 to 14. Teenagers are now at greatest risk. Teens have a death rate twice that of younger children and account for half of all child pedestrian injuries in the past five years.

The “Three Es” That Are Needed To Be Successful

• 1. Education• 2. Enforcement • 3. Engineering

1. Education

Education programs teach motorists, pedestrians and bicyclists about their responsibilities and about traffic rules, while promoting activities that encourage walking and biking. Teach bicycle and pedestrian safety to students as part of their classroom curriculum. Develop a safety campaign that promotes safe driving through the use of banners, posters, promotions, and direct appeals to the community.

2. Enforcement

Enforcement enlists the help of local police departments to focus enforcement efforts in problem areas and increase community awareness of school safety issues. Beefing up enforcement around schools helps keep drivers on their best behavior. A consistent but random presence of law enforcement will encourage motorists to drive with care.

3. EngineeringEngineering tools include a variety of street design techniques that can reduce traffic volumes, decrease speed, and improve safety. Some engineering solutions, moreover, don’t require large expenditures, such as posting signs, re-timing lights, or repainting crosswalks and bike lanes.

Layout Of The SidewalksSidewalks should be a minimum width to allow at least two people to walk comfortably side by side (standards outlined in the Americans with Disabilities Act, or ADA, recommend at least five feet). Where large numbers of children gather, sidewalks should be even wider with clear landscaped edges to separate them from the street. Sidewalks need to be flat, with curb cuts at corners, but without sloping driveways.

Portland is widely considered one of the nation’s leaders in public transit. Its system features the Free Rail Zone--a region of downtown Portland within which light rail and streetcar rides are free all day, every day.

A bike lane…right along the interstate

San Bernadino is one of the worst cities for public transit

• Only 8% of jobs are reachable via transit within 90 minutes

• Even in San Bernadino…ranked worst for public transportation…there are safe biking trails. The trail is along the river and many use it.

Lower cost solution…

• Putting sidewalks in may be cost-prohibitive…roads would have to be widened, among other things.

• Another option…would be to locate a place that already has a path, that is safe and connects highly populated subdivisions with the schools that service them and the businesses that employ them.

• In addition…we have buses…but, we’d have to improve the schedule…the schedule is not exactly consistent and may be okay for holo holo…but, not so good for getting to work or school on time.

Layout Of Bike LanesHilo has bike lanes along some of its streets and these are built according to existing regulations. However, there is also the potential to develop bike lanes/ pedestrian walkways that are not along existing streets. For example, the Waiakea Stream flows diagonally from upper Waiakea to downtown Hilo and has existing utility roads along more than half of its length. The following slide shows this potential route.

A

B

C

Proposed Bike &Walking Path

Image from Google maps

U. Of Hawaii at HIlo

Waiakea High School

Chiefess KapiolaniElementary School

The Waiakea stream route includes a long section (see “A”) on state land occupied by the University of Hawaii at Hilo. Section “B” includes much open pasture land. Section “C” is located on the grounds of Chiefess Kapiolani Elementary School. All three sections already have existing utility roads along much of their lengths.

Developing this path would decrease bicycle and foot traffic along city streets and would actually provide a shorter and safer route to the university, various public schools, and to down town. When people feel safe they will be encouraged to walk and ride their bikes.

References• http://www.nhtsa.gov/people/injury/pedbimot/bike/Safe-Routes-2002/safe.html#1• http://www.tahaksmidagisoolast.com/Koolitykid/Praktika/Loputoo/Pedestrianfatalityriskasafunctionofcarimpactspeed.pdf• cms.sbcounty.gov • 10 Best Cities for Public Transportation - US News and World Report• The 10 Best (and 10 Worst) Cities For Public Transportation, The Atlantic