The state Department of Transportation said it will begin its public outreach telephone surveys to solicit community input for the Hawai`i Statewide Transportation Plan beginning in mid-December.

Consultant SMS Research will conduct landline and cell phone surveys of 1,200 residents on O'ahu, Maui, Moloka'i, Lana'i, Kaua'i and the Big Island to gather opinions about the state’s transportation systems. Survey information will be gathered through next February and will be incorporated into a scheduled update of the transportation plan next fall.

"We realize that our island residents lead full and busy lives, but community feedback is crucial to improve our overall quality of life as it relates to transportation needs," said DOT Director Brennon Morioka in a news release. "We hope that residents will take the time to answer the survey questions and help guide the development of transportation in our state.”

In addition to the 1,200 phone surveys, SMS Research will also conduct 25 in-depth interviews with special interests on all islands to help identify other issues from segments of the population that may not be reached through the telephone survey.

The Hawai`i Statewide Transportation Plan team developed this interviewee list to include people who may be under-represented in the general population, such as physically challenged individuals, people who do not speak English and the homeless. By gaining insights from these sections of the population, the Department of Transportation said it will be able to take these transportation issues forward in developing public policy.

The transportation plan was last updated in 2002. It is a broad policy plan document that gives common direction to planners and transportation planning efforts, consistent with federal and state laws and regulations. This policy document covers airports, harbors and highways, as well as alternative modes of transportation including public transportation, bicycling and walking.