HONOLULU (KITV4) - Hawaii lawmakers want to make sure we don’t see any roadway deaths near schools again.
After this year’s fatalities near schools, state lawmakers announced the passage of two bills Thursday that will help bring an end to these needless deaths–such as that of Sara Yara, a teenager who did not survive a hit-and-run incident on her way to school.
Family and friends of road violence victims meet with legislators to demand safer streets.
Senate Bill 1086 and House Bill 600 will allow legislators and community members to work together for safer streets and offer funding for fast improvements to Hawaii infrastructure.
“One of the ways that we rethink this is by changing our roads and the way we build our streets and putting money into doing things that separate cars from people, from people on bicycles, so that even when people drive and speed and drink while driving or text while driving or get themselves into a dangerous situation, when they’re fallible and they screw up, that that’s not going to kill someone,” explained Senator Chris Lee.
Construction crews continued installation, Wednesday, of two new speed humps at the intersection of Kapiolani Boulevard and Kamake'e Street.
One solution will be adding new protective barriers to roadways. to make sure dangerous drivers don’t veer onto bike paths or sidewalks.
In addition to funding for road safety projects, these bills will also bring an advisory committee with members of public health and transportation groups, as well as kupuna advocates and homelessness experts for more collaboration and transparency when it comes to safe streets.
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