Maui County Downhill Bike Tour
Study
Public Meeting No. 2
November 19, 2008 – Kula
November 20, 2008 – Makawao
Department of Public Works
County of Maui
Kimura International Inc.
Agenda
y Plenary Session (Slide Presentation)
y A closer look at the downhill bike tour industry
y Tour and rider volumes
y Tour routes
y Accident records
y Preliminary study proposals
y Working Group Session
y Physical improvements
y Regulation
y Safety, courtesy, enforcement
y Other ideas
A Closer Look at the Downhill Bike Tour Industry
KI conducted a survey of seven companies offering
organized bicycle rides down Haleakala
y
y
Written questionnaires completed by six companies
Interviews with owners or managers of seven companies
Supplemental data from Haleakala National Park
and State Department of Transportation
Significant Downturn in Bicycle Tour Volumes
y Bicycle tour numbers in August 2008 were 50% lower than in
August 2007
y Monthly totals show 500 fewer escorted tours
y Independent (unescorted) tours increased slightly
Number of Downhill Bicycle Tours, August 2007 and 2008
1000
900
Independent
Escorted
158
No. of Tours
800
700
600
500
820
173
400
300
320
200
100
0
August 2007
August 2008
Number of Downhill Riders has Declined Sharply
y Total number of downhill bike tour participants dropped from
11,803 in August 2007 to 5,819 in August 2008
y Overall reductions in the number of participants per tour
y In August 2008, 42% of all downhill bicyclists were independent
riders
Downhill Bicycle Tour Participants, August 2007 and 2008
Independent
Escorted
No. of Tour Participants
12,000
10,000
2,573
8,000
6,000
8,735
2,492
4,000
3,327
2,000
0
August 2007
August 2008
On an average day in August, there were:
Escorted
Tours
Independent
Tours
Total Tours
Sunrise
10‐11
3‐4
13‐15
Mid‐
Morning
4‐5
3‐4
7‐8
Future Growth in the Downhill Bike Tour Industry
Downhill bike tour companies agree:
y Long‐term economic viability is a concern given National
Park uncertainties, tourism cutbacks, and the general
economic slump
y Most important factor affecting future size of the industry is
NPS commercial services plan and policy of issuing park
permits
y Industry unlikely to expand to former
levels; most say it got too big
Tour Routes
y Tour route map modified based on more accurate
information
y Routing information is important to assess potential impacts
to traffic and communities
Bike Tour Routes (old slide)
Kokomo Road (Rte 398)
County
Baldwin Ave (Rte 390)
County
Haleakala Hwy (Rte 377)
State of Hawaii
Haleakala Crater Road (Rte
378) State of Hawaii
Kula Highway (Rte 37)
State of Hawaii
Haleakala Crater Road (Rte
378) National Park Service
Hanamu Road
County
Bike Tour Routes
Kokomo Road is used by the
independent riders of one
company
Kealaloa Road and
Portions
of Baldwin
Makawao
Avenue
Avenue
one
sectionsused;
deleted—
company regularly
traverses entire length
Kula Highway section deleted—
Two companies
stop
occasional
van tours offered,
Kealaloa,
but no regularon
bicycle
tours
load riders onto vans,
Then drive along Makawao
Avenue
and through
National
Park section deleted—
Makawao
townmoratorium on
ongoing
bicycle tours
Specific Routing Concerns
Certain tour routes have attracted community concern.
Some companies have changed their routes in response.
For example, number of companies using these routes:
Yes
No
Through Makawao Town
4
3
Along Baldwin Ave
5
2
Through Paia Town (Baldwin
and Hana Hwy)
1
6
Rider Qualifications
All bike tour companies stress rider qualifications, but restrictions
vary
• Minimum age: 7 to 15 years
• Maximum age: 65 years (one company only)
• Minimum height: 4'10” to 5'0”
• Maximum weight: 250 to 300 lbs (one company has no
maximum)
• Pregnancy: uniformly prohibited
Experience is most important screening criterion, defined as
• “competent rider with recent experience”
• “confident riding in traffic on public roads”
• “good rider”
• “bicycling experience within 24 months”
Reported Accidents
• Self reports by 5 out of 7 downhill bike companies for 2007
• Represent 63% of all escorted and independent riders
Bike Tour Accidents, 2007
Reported by 5 out of 7 Companies
78
Rider Down
15
Called 911
30
Taken to ER
0
Fatalities
1
Property Damage
0
20
40
60
80
100
Accident Numbers in Context
• 1.10%
Important
of bike
to recognize
riders involved
risk in accidents (minor scrapes to major injuries)
• 0.21%
Also important
of bike riders
to putinvolved
risk in perspective
in accidents requiring EMS response
• 0.42%
Increasing
of bike
safety
riders
remains
treated
a key
in the
study
emergency
objectiveroom
HDOT Crash Data
•
•
•
•
•
HDOT data limited to State roads
Crash data are based on police reports
Crashes are between bicycles and motor vehicles
Bicycle‐only crashes excluded
Data provided for 1995 to 2006 (aggregated over 12 years)
Bicycle Involved Crashes, Haleakala Crater Road, 1995‐2006
9.00-10.15
8.00-8.99
Milepost Limits
7.00-7.99
6.00-6.99
5.00-5.99
4.00-4.99
3.00-3.99
2.00-2.99
1.00-1.99
0.05-.99
0
2
4
6
8
10
Number of Crashes by Outcome
Fatals
Injury Only
Property Damage Only ($3000+)
12
Comparison of Bicycle Involved Crashes and
All Vehicular Crashes, Haleakala Crater Road, 1995‐2006
9.00-10.15
8.00-8.99
Milepost Limits
7.00-7.99
6.00-6.99
5.00-5.99
4.00-4.99
3.00-3.99
2.00-2.99
1.00-1.99
0.05-.99
0
5
10
15
20
25
Number of Injured Persons
Bicycle Involved Crashes
All Vehicular Crashes
30
35
Bicycle Involved Crashes, Haleakala Highway, 1995‐2006
5.00-6.00
Milepost Limits
4.00-4.99
3.00-3.99
2.00-2.99
1.00-1.99
0.05-.99
0
0.5
1
1.5
Number of Crashes by Outcome
Fatals
Injury Only
Property Damage Only ($3000+)
2
Comparison of Bicycle Involved Crashes and
All Vehicular Crashes, Haleakala Highway, 1995‐2006
5.00-6.00
Milepost Limits
4.00-4.99
3.00-3.99
2.00-2.99
1.00-1.99
0.05-.99
0
5
10
15
20
Number of Injured Persons
Bicycle Involved Crashes
All Vehicular Crashes
25
Preliminary Proposals
y Physical improvements
y Regulation
y Safety, courtesy, enforcement
1. Physical Improvement Proposals
• Pull‐outs
• Shoulder widening
• Scenic lookouts and/or rest stops with
lavatories
• Bike path connector between Crater Road
and Haleakala Highway
Typical Plan– Pull‐out Area
R/W
100' Min.
Existing 4' Wide
Grassed Shoulder
2:1
Max
8' Wide Bicycle Pull-out Area
Existing 22' Wide Paved Travelway
Existing 4' Wide Grassed Shoulder
80' Wide R/W
R/W
Notes:
Minimum pull-out length determined to be 100' to store 14 bicycles and 1
van single file. (68" avg. length per bike & 15 pass. van approx. 225" long)
Existing Edge of Pavement
Typical section– 80’ R/W (with cut)
(Haleakala Crater Road)
R/W
R/W
80' R/W
4' Grassed
Shoulder
22' Wide Existing Travelway
CL
Exist. Edge of Pavement
Existing Ground
2.0+_%
2' AC Gutter,
Where shown on plans
Prop. 8' Wide
Bike Pullout
Exist. 4'
Grassed
Shoulder
2'
Existing Ground
)
ax.
m
(
Cut
2.0% Max. 2:1
Finished
Grade
Typical section– 80’ R/W (with fill)
(Haleakala Crater Road)
R/W
R/W
80' R/W
4' Grassed
Shoulder
22' Wide Existing Travelway
CL
Prop. 8' Wide
Bike Pullout
2'
Exist. 4'
Grassed
Shoulder
Exist. Edge of Pavement
Existing Ground
2.0+_%
2.0% Max.
Finished
Grade
2:1
Fill
(m
2' AC Gutter,
Where shown on plans
ax.
)
HALEAKALA
RANCH
Existing shoulder area
used for pull-out
HALEAKALA
RANCH
Start
Point
Start Point
NPS
boundary
Waiale Bridge :
Add a separate
pedestrian walkway
HALEAKALA CRATER RD
(ROUTE 378)
Haleakala Crater Road
Rte 378
Pohakuokala Bridge: Construct
separate pedestrian bridge
N
Potential
Existingnew
shoulder
pull-out
areas
areas
used for pull-out
HALEAKALA CRATER
RD
Haleakala Crater Road
Rte 378
N
Existing shoulder areas
used for pull-out
Potential
new pull-out
areas
Existing
shoulder
area/parking
for Sunrise Country Market
Pohakuokala
Bridge:
Potential
new
separate
path
used for bicycle bike
pull-out
Add separate
or widened shoulder
for bicycles
pedestrian walkway
Haleakala Crater Road
Rte 378
Proposed Bike Path at Intersection of
Haleakala Highway and Crater Road
Potential new pull-out area
Waiale Bridge:
ExistingAdd
shoulder
area
a separate
used
for pull-out
pedestrian
walkway
Haleakala Highway
Rte 377
HALEAKALA HWY
(ROUTE 377)
D
NH
OW
ILL
Existing shoulder
area used for pull-out
Existing
shoulder area
used for pull-out
Haleakala Highway
Rte 377
HA
LI
IM
AI
LE
Widen
shoulder
Widen
shoulder
Baldwin Ave Rte 390
Widen shoulder
Baldwin Ave Rte 390
Widen shoulder
Baldwin Ave Rte 390
2. Regulatory Proposals
Proposal
Advantages
Implementation Issues
Mandatory use of Operational
pull‐outs, possibly consistency will aid
with signs
motoring public
indicating pull‐
outs ahead
Changes in tour ops
Will require crew
training
Bike‐free zone on Reduced congestion
Haleakala Hwy
during rush hour
(morning rush/7‐8
a.m.)
Seasonal variation in
sunrise tour hours
Disruptions to tour
schedules
Restrictions will likely
affect all bicyclists
Enforcement
2. Regulatory Proposals
Proposal
Advantages
Implementation Issues
Restrict number
of tours allowed
Mitigate traffic
impacts
Industry has already
experience major
contractions in tour
numbers
Restrict size of
tours allowed
Shorter convoys
Significant impacts on
will facilitate
industry cost structure
passing movements
by vehicles
Regulate spacing
of convoys
Prevent “bunching
up” of convoys and
long lines of
bicyclists
Develop protocol for
escorted tours to “check
in” and “check out”
All escorted bike tours
must participate for
system to succeed
2. Regulatory Proposals
Proposal
Establish a
credential
program (crew
training, equipment
maintenance,
operation
procedures, etc.
based on “best
practices” manual)
Revise existing
ordinance to
extend insurance
requirement for
bike tour permit
to cover use of all
public roads
Advantages
Third‐party
oversight of the
industry
Implementation Issues
Long‐term
organizational
infrastructure needed to
establish, monitor, and
enforce the credential
program
Liability concerns
Will close gap in
Council action to amend
the current law to
ordinance
cover all companies Enforcement
operating downhill
bicycle tours
2. Regulatory Proposals
Proposal
Advantages
Implementation Issues
Identify company Increase visibility
name on vans
and accountability
and trailers
Requirement of bike tour
permit?
Mandatory
drug/alcohol
tests for
employees
Increased cost and
administrative
requirements for bike
tour companies
Potential to
enhance the safety
of tour operations
Impose surcharge Industry will help
to fund bike tour defray public
programs
expenses
Need to establish special
purpose fund and
administrative rules
2. Regulatory Proposals
Proposal
Regulate
minimum age of
bicycle tour
participants
Advantages
Implementation Issues
Reduced
Condition of
participation by
commercial bike tour
inexperienced riders permit?
Potential decrease in
accidents and
mishaps
Conveys seriousness
and potential
hazardousness of the
activity
3. Safety, Courtesy, and Enforcement Proposals
Proposal
Advantages
Implementation Issues
Develop “best
Provide a
practices” manual consistent set of
(to establish industry procedures for safe,
practices and
courteous
standards)
interactions
between bike tours
and other vehicles
using public roads
Process needed to
develop the manual
Crew training; incentives
for long‐term adherence
to best practices
Hotline to report Provide
unsafe operations clearinghouse for
community
concerns and
complaints
Funding and
administrative
infrastructure
3. Safety, Courtesy, and Enforcement Proposals
Proposal
Designate and
develop
Haleakala Hwy
(Route 377) as a
scenic byway
Advantages
Implementation Issues
Enhance the scenic Coordinate with scenic
and cultural
byways program being
studied by HDOT
resources of
Upcountry
Expectations for
leisure driving on
Haleakala Hwy
Provide access to a
funding source for
highway
improvements
3. Safety, Courtesy, and Enforcement Proposals
Proposal
Advantages
Implementation Issues
Increased police
enforcement
Apprehend and
penalize traffic
offenders
Deterrent effects
Manpower requirements
Lack of roadside space to
situate squad cars
Electronic speed
limit signs
(Haleakala Hwy)
Electronic signs can
be a traffic‐calming
aid to supplement
police enforcement
HDOT is lead agency –
cost, operational, and
maintenance
responsibilities
After Break:
Community Input on Preliminary Proposals
(in working groups)
•
•
•
•
Physical improvements
Regulations
Safety, courtesy, enforcement
Other ideas
Maui County Downhill Bike Tour
Study
Public Meeting No. 2
r
u November 19, 2008 – Kula
o
y
r
o
f
o
l
November 20, 2008 – Makawao
a
!
h
n
M a cip a tio
i
Department of Public Works
t
r
a
County of Maui
p
Kimura International Inc.