NACo and coalition partners sends letter opposing heavy truck weight and size limits to congressional leaders

Key Takeaways

On January 29, NACo and 20 coalition partners sent a letter to leaders of the U.S. House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation and Senate Committee on Environmental and Public Works urging them to oppose any legislation that would increase maximum truck size and weight limits on federal highways—either on their own or as part of larger reauthorization legislation.

Counties and their partners strongly oppose legislative proposals – including pilot programs, exemptions and waivers – that would increase truck size and/or weights or would allow states to set their own limits for interstate commerce. The letter also urged that no such provisions be included in upcoming surface transportation reauthorization legislation.

At current limits, heavy trucks already inflict major damage on local roads and bridges, and counties receive no dedicated funding to offset repair costs. Raising limits would effectively create an unfunded federal mandate for local governments. 

Locally owned bridges are especially at risk. A recent analysis by the Coalition Against Bigger Trucks of over 470,000 local bridges found that more than 68,600 are not rated to safely accommodate 91,000-pound trucks. Replacing or upgrading these bridges would cost an estimated $78.7 billion, an enormous financial burden that would fall largely on state, county and municipal governments that already struggle to fund infrastructure maintenance and improvements.

The letter specifically urged Congress to reject any legislative language that would increase current maximum truck weight or length limits as lawmakers continue working on surface transportation reauthorization.

To read the full coalition letter, click here.