In a bid to stop tractor-trailer trucks from getting bigger and heavier, the Safe Highways and Infrastructure Preservation Act (SHIPA – S.779, H 1618) has been introduced in Congress. If passed, it will freeze the maximum weight at which a truck can operate on Interstate highways at 80,000 pounds – the limit set by the federal government in 1982.
But, this bill which would help to protect taxpayers from funding increased road and bridge repairs; motorists from increased congestion; and the environment from increased pollution; faces a battle to win approval because a competing measure that would raise weight limits to 97,000 pounds on federal Interstates has already won support from 50 members of Congress.
More than 3,000 bridges in Colorado are over 40 years old. Many of those bridges have a life expectancy of only 50 years. The weights of trucks, and the number of truck trips over them, are two of the prime things accelerating the deterioration of our bridges.
At a time when we are stuck in the middle of a budget crisis, it would not be responsible for us to add additional stress onto our aging infrastructure. We can see the results of this when we look at all the bridges currently being replaced on I-76. What many do not realize is that these trucks only pay for a portion of the road and bridge damage that they cause. For example, an 80,000-pound,five axle truck pays for only about 80 percent of the damage that it causes.
In addition to infrastructure concerns, increasing truck size and weight leads to increased congestion and pollution due to the diversion of freight from other transportation modes, such as rail.
Fortunately, Colorado is very well served by both Class I and short-line rail including the Nebraska Colorado Kansas Railroad and the Great Western Railway of Colorado. The railroads serve our state well but, due to decreasing traffic volumes, many are losing the financial strength necessary to invest in track upgrades and expansions.
Increasing the size and weight of trucks will cause rail to see even larger decreases in traffic volumes as freight traffic is diverted to our highways. Diversion of freight off of rail and onto our highways is irresponsible and does a disservice to our state’s residents or our environment.
Please join me in calling on our Congressional delegation to support the Safe Highways and Infrastructure Preservation Act. It is what our state needs now and will form a solid base for our future.
Rick Johnson is the current State Director of the Colorado United Transportation Union State Legislative Board. EDITOR’S NOTE: This is an online-only column and has not been edited.
