Highways

Transportation by the Numbers

By: Rachel Roper

As a fun fact, I thought I’d share some transportation statistics that help demonstrate how critical the transportation system is to our nation. These are taken from the Pocket Guide to Transportation, a publication developed annually by the BTS.

Note that the BTS referenced here is the Bureau of Transportation Statistics (part of the United States Department of Transportation), not to be confused with BTS, the famous K-Pop band. I learned firsthand how important it is to make that distinction when doing a Google search.

These statistics are for 2016 taken from the 2019 Pocket Guide to Transportation.

To add a scale to the number of miles of roadways or navigable waterways, compare that with the just under 2500 miles between Hawai’i and California.

Public Encouraged to Participate in Commuter SurveyBy: Shelly Kunishige

The Association for Commuter Transportation (ACT) and Center for Transportation Demand Management (Center for TDM) are conducting a nationwide survey to collect feedback on potential impacts of COVID-19 on commuters returning to worksites. Results from the survey will provide important information to transportation providers, policy makers, and employers on how to meet the needs of commuters. The survey takes around 8-10 minutes to complete. HDOT is asking all individuals currently working or planning to return to work in coming months to take the survey online at https://www. surveymonkey.com/r/ACTcovidHawaii.

ACT and the Center for TDM will be entering survey participants in a drawing for one of five (5) $100 Amazon gift cards. Submissions must be received by June 26, 2020, to qualify.

Highways

Happy Retirement Marshall Ando and Thank You!

By: Ed Sniffen

On June 18, 2019,

Marshall Ando

formally took the reins as the Highways Division Administrator.

Marshall was eminently qualified for the position as he brought over 29 years of transportation experience.

Marshall spent 23 years with the Harbors Division, five as the Engineering Program Manager of the Highways Design Branch and a year as the acting Highways Administrator.

Marshall is a product of Hawai’i.

He’s a local boy, born and raised on the Big Island, who received his Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering from the University of Hawai’i – Manoa Campus.

Ando spent the first 3 years of his career in the private sector, then dedicated his professional life to servicing the public by meeting the transportation needs and goals of the State of Hawai’i.

During his tenure as Highways Administrator, he has worked tirelessly to improve our infrastructure to provide efficient access for our communities. The infrastructure he focused on wasn’t always about roads and bridges.

Marshall understood that DOT Highways needed to be a part of the communities it served to maximize its impact to quality of life in Hawaii.

Marshall pushed for more data to be shared with the public, more transparency in our project delivery processes and more opportunities for the public to get answers directly from the division.

“Through Marshall, we were able to improve our ability to deliver more access to jobs and opportunities with our roadway system because he provided the public more access to us – getting more ideas from the public, talking more about how we make community minded decisions and asking the community to use our data to hold us accountable,” said Highways Deputy Director Ed Sniffen.

“Putting ourselves out there so we can better serve the community took true leadership. Marshall will be missed.”

As any good leader would, Marshall set the division in a good place to continue its good works for our beloved communities.

We will carry on the public involvement that Marshall championed and continue to improve Hawaii to reach a better normal.

Through Marshall, we improve our ability to deliver more access to jobs and opportunities because he provided the public more access to us.

- Highways Deputy Director Edwin Sniffen