ALOHA,

Time is running out on getting true traffic relief without any tax increases or roadway construction headaches. We need resolution 11-308 CD1 that passed the full City Council unanimously urging the State Legislature to put into statute the ability for the counties to share data between insurance providers and the Department of Motor Vehicle Registration - acted upon now.

I helped write HB1351 while working at the State Legislature in the beginning of 2011 before coming to the City Council and that bill is still alive - it just needs to get a hearing. If that bill were to pass, imagine cutting down traffic levels by ten times the amount of what we get when schools and UH is not in session.

Please consider contacting the Honolulu StarAdvertiser and submit letters to the editor advocating for HB1351 to get a hearing or even write an article and submit to any media outlet to help get the issue to the forefront.

I wrote an article to the StarAdvertiser - read it here - but they declined to publish it claiming it was political - go figure. I wrote emails, letters, left messages to every one of our State Legislators to take heed, but not one of them would respond back to me to help me get HB1351 a fair hearing. This is unacceptable, for we are in a transportation crisis and more needs to be done.

Georgia, one of many states that implemented the concept, took 20% of those driving illegally off of the roads - resulting in getting traffic relief quicker than any roadway, or rail project could deliver. In addition, auto insurance premium rates go down for all when the level of uninsured motorists is decreased on our thoroughfares.

Please help me get real traffic relief by putting pressure on the media to also take action . . . for our State Legislature is standing still and thinks rail will solve all our problems.

HB1351 is referred to the Committee on Transportation, and this committee is chaired by Rep. Joe Souki. Please write letters to the editor requesting Rep. Souki (repsouki@capitol.hawaii.gov) do something about traffic by scheduling HB1351 for a hearing. MAHALO!

Send letters to: letters@staradvertiser.com