THE SENATE	S.R. NO.	80
THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2026
STATE OF HAWAII

SENATE RESOLUTION

 

 

REQUESTING THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION TO COORDINATE WITH UTILITY PROVIDERS OPERATING WITHIN STATE HIGHWAY RIGHTS-OF-WAY TO DEVELOP A COMPREHENSIVE STATEWIDE PLAN AND SCHEDULE TO ADDRESS DERELICT OR AGING UTILITY POLES AND LINES ALONG FARRINGTON HIGHWAY AND OTHER HIGH-RISK CORRIDORS.

 

 

 

     WHEREAS, public safety along state highways is of paramount importance, particularly in coastal, high-wind, and heavily traveled corridors; and

 

     WHEREAS, aging, damaged, or derelict utility poles and overhead lines located within state highway rights-of-way may pose safety hazards to motorists, pedestrians, bicyclists, and nearby residents; and

 

     WHEREAS, Farrington Highway serves as a major transportation artery for the Leeward Coast of Oahu and has experienced incidents involving downed or deteriorated utility infrastructure, raising concerns regarding resilience, safety, and emergency access; and

 

     WHEREAS, similar conditions may exist along other high-risk state highway corridors that are vulnerable to severe weather events, coastal erosion, traffic impacts, or deferred maintenance; and

 

     WHEREAS, the Department of Transportation plays a critical role in coordinating infrastructure planning and maintenance activities within those corridors; and

 

     WHEREAS, utility providers operate infrastructure within state highway rights-of-way pursuant to permits, easements, or other agreements and share responsibility for the maintenance, repair, and replacement of their infrastructure; and

 

     WHEREAS, a coordinated, data-driven, and phased statewide to address this aging infrastructure plan could improve public safety, enhance infrastructure resilience, clarify maintenance responsibilities, and better align capital improvement schedules among state and private stakeholders; now, therefore,

 

     BE IT RESOLVED by the Senate of the Thirty-third Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2026, that the Department of Transportation is requested to coordinate with utility providers operating within state highway rights-of-way to develop a comprehensive statewide plan and schedule to address derelict or aging utility poles and lines along Farrington Highway and other high-risk corridors; and

 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Department of Transportation is requested to:

 

     (1)  Convene relevant utility providers to conduct a coordinated assessment of derelict, inactive, or aging infrastructure;

 

     (2)  Develop a comprehensive removal, repair, or remediation schedule;

 

     (3)  Prioritize corridors with elevated wildfire risk, high traffic volumes, or proximity to residential communities;

 

     (4)  Establish a standardized notification and coordination process for unsafe or abandoned infrastructure;

 

     (5)  Identify funding responsibilities and cost allocation mechanisms; and

 

     (6)  Evaluate whether existing statutes or franchise agreements sufficiently define maintenance and removal obligations for inactive utility infrastructure within state highway rights-of-way; and

 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Department of Transportation is requested to submit a report detailing identified infrastructure, remediation schedules, responsible entities, and any statutory or regulatory barriers, including any proposed legislation, to the Legislature no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the Regular Session of 2027; and

 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a certified copy of this Resolution be transmitted to the Director of Transportation.

 

 

 

	OFFERED BY:	_____________________________

Report Title: 

Department of Transportation; Utility Poles and Lines; Infrastructure; Comprehensive Statewide Plan