West Maui emergency traffic plan group OK’d, but consultant vetoed

Gov. Linda Lingle exercised a line-item veto Thursday to cut funding for a consultant to the group but on Monday signed into law a bill to establish a working group to develop an emergency transportation plan for West Maui.

In her veto message, Lingle said the appropriation of $50,000 was not in the state's financial plan and skirted state procurement laws. But she said she supported the intent of the measure to "facilitate an open dialogue among stakeholders to discuss and develop a West Maui Transportation Access Plan to address road closures on this part of the island."

Rep. Angus McKelvey, D-West Maui, who introduced House Bill 2531, called the announcement a victory. He said while he disagreed with Lingle's position on the funding, "the bigger thing was getting the other parts of the bill enacted so we could get all these entities together to work on a plan."

He said he'd look for ways to raise funds from private sources.

"I'm ready to shake my moneymaker," he said.

The bill will create a working group to discuss alternative ways of accessing West Maui when an emergency closes Honoapiilani Highway. The group would likely involve members of Lahaina Bypass Now and others advocating action on plans to widen and realign the highway in West Maui.

The portion of the bill vetoed by Lingle included a provision to exempt a consulting contract from the state procurement code. McKelvey said previously that traffic management consultant Jim Charlier of Charlier Associates Inc. of Boulder, Colo., was willing to take the job for $50,000, significantly less than other consultants would charge.

Lingle has until Tuesday to sign or reject bills passed this year by the Legislature.