Bill > SR159

This Resolution urges the Department of Transportation to create an Intergovernmental Task Force to help the County of Hawaii establish a Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) or a Regional Transportation Planning Organization. An MPO is a federally mandated entity that facilitates collaboration among local communities and government agencies to direct federal transportation funds towards projects that improve access and mobility through various transportation options like walking, biking, and public transit. The task force will recommend policies and provide guidance, especially if the County of Hawaii doesn't initially meet the population threshold for a formal MPO. The Department of Transportation is also asked to provide a list of highway projects from the State Transportation Improvement Program to aid in developing the MPO's own transportation improvement program. The task force is required to submit a report with its findings and recommendations, including any proposed legislation, to the Legislature by early 2023, after which it will be dissolved.