Coordination, Policy Alignment, and Scoping for Transportation Impact Analysis
The transportation review process for proposed projects in the City and County of Honolulu requires alignment with a wide range of plans and policies to ensure a comprehensive, multimodal, and sustainable approach to development. This chapter outlines the key planning documents to consider, available data sources, and procedures for coordinating with City staff during the scoping phase of a Transportation Impact Analysis (TIA).
Consistency with Adopted Plans and Policies
Projects must demonstrate consistency with the City’s land use and transportation planning frameworks. This ensures proposed developments contribute to long-term regional goals, prioritize multimodal access, and support livable communities. Relevant planning documents include:
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Oʻahu General Plan – The overarching document that guides growth and development across the island.
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Regional Development Plans and Sustainable Communities Plans – Define growth strategies and land use priorities for specific regions.
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The Complete Streets Ordinance and Design Manual – Mandate safe and accessible transportation networks for all users, including pedestrians, bicyclists, transit users, and motorists of all ages and abilities.
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Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) Neighborhood Plans – Encourage compact, mixed-use communities near rail and bus corridors.
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Special District Design Guidelines – Provide area-specific design standards and expectations.
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Oʻahu Regional Transportation Plan (ORTP) – Outlines long-range transportation improvements and priorities in partnership with the Oʻahu Metropolitan Planning Organization (OʻahuMPO).
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Statewide Pedestrian Master Plan and Oʻahu Pedestrian Plan – Guide improvements to pedestrian infrastructure and safety.
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2019 Oʻahu Bike Plan Update – Identifies bike facility needs and improvements to promote bicycle travel.
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Subdivision Rules and Regulations – Establish street and access requirements for new development.
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Bus-Rail Integration Plans – Coordinate rail service with TheBus operations for seamless transit service.
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Honolulu Urban Core Parking Master Plan – Guides parking policy and management strategies in the city center.
Adherence to these policies supports integrated land use and transportation planning while helping to mitigate the impact of development on the existing and future multimodal transportation system.
Data Sources for TIA
Effective transportation impact assessments rely on accurate and up-to-date data. The following data sources should be used when analyzing the potential effects of a project:
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Oʻahu Metropolitan Planning Organization (OʻahuMPO):
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Travel Demand Forecast Model
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Sugar Access Model for multimodal accessibility analysis
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Hawaiʻi Department of Transportation (HDOT):
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Database of current and future highway projects
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Annual Average Daily Traffic (AADT) volumes
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Crash data
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Hawaiʻi Department of Health (HDOH):
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Additional crash and safety data
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Transit Data:
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TheBus ridership statistics, route usage, and frequency
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City and County of Honolulu:
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Pedestrian high injury and crash locations
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UrbanLogiq:
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Centralized data for crash history, safety analysis, and network characteristics
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Early Coordination and Scoping
Successful TIAs begin with early and active coordination with the City. A primary contact will be designated from the project sponsor's team to lead discussions and coordinate closely with City departments, particularly:
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Department of Transportation Services – Transportation Planning Division (DTS-TPD)
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Department of Transportation Services – Transportation Engineering Division (DTS-TED)
A pre-scoping meeting is required before beginning the analysis. This meeting serves to:
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Review the proposed development and its context within the transportation network.
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Identify potential impacts across all travel modes, including pedestrian, bicycle, transit, and vehicle travel.
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Determine the appropriate analytical methods and thresholds that will be applied.
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Discuss potential mitigation strategies and how the TIA Guide will be implemented.
Following this meeting, the transportation consultant must prepare a Scoping Memorandum. This document will summarize the meeting’s outcome, list required assumptions, and outline the necessary analysis tasks. It provides a mutual understanding between the project sponsor and the City and serves as a reference point throughout the review process.
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