Aloha from the Hill 9/2/15
Statement
Aloha Friend,
This past Monday, I held a press conference to discuss a letter that I recently sent to the Federal Highway Administration (FHA). The letter I wrote, requests that the FHA grant the State of Hawaii permission to use federal Highway Trust Funds for ongoing and upcoming rehabilitation projects for Farrington Highway and Kamehameha Highway. The State of Hawaii has accumulated a backlog of federal Highway Trust Funds. In 2014, there were approximately $950 million in unspent funds. However, I am happy to hear that the State, in collaboration with FHA, has been working to address this backlog and improvements are being made to streamline the approval process for projects.
While I'm impressed with the improvements the State has made, I am still concerned that the rate at which we will reduce this backlog may still be too slow and will potentially jeopardize future federal funds. That is one of the reasons why I wrote to Acting Administrator Gregory Nadeau, and asked him to authorize the use of approximately $100 million in Trust Funds for two important roadway projects on Kamehameha Highway and Farrington Highway. The second reason is that the use of Trust Funds on these projects is necessary, as the construction of the rail project has now required improvements to these roadways. I believe that any funding alternatives to the rail project, whether direct or indirect will benefit all of our residents.
The traffic corridors of Kamehameha Highway and Farrington Highway that run from Aiea to Waipahu, serve as a vital artery for our residents, businesses, and the military. We need funding now, to improve them as the rail project dictates, and have a ready-made solution in federal Highway Trust Funds that the State has already obtained from the FHA. We just need approval to use those funds for these projects.
Finally, I held a Job Fair last weekend aimed at helping Hawaii residents explore opportunities to establish a long-term career path. Ensuring that our citizens have the means to provide for themselves and their families is a top priority of mine in Congress. I would like to extend a warm mahalo to Honolulu Community College for hosting this event, our partner organizations, and to everyone who attended.
Source