HomeMy WebLinkAboutLetter re increased truck weights JEFFERSON COUNTY
BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
CONSENT AGENDA REQUEST
TO: Board of County Commissioners
FROM: Mark McCauley,County Administrator
DATE: August 7,2023
RE: Letter Opposing Two Congressional Bills Proposing Substantially Increased Weight
and Length Limits for Trucks
STATEMENT OF ISSUE:
There are currently two bills working their way through Congress: HR 3372 and HR 2948,which
allowing substantial weight and length increases for trucks.
ANALYSIS:
The Coalition Against Bigger Trucks is working to mobilize opposition to these bills,which would allow
longer and much heavier trucks. This current effort follows another effort in 2019 when they sent a letter
to Congress with over 1,000 local governments as signatories. They are asking Jefferson County to agree
to add our County as a signatory to a letter, attached,to state our opposition to HR 3372 and HR 2948.
Our Public Works Director,Monte Reinders, supports us joining this effort:
• Longer and heavier trucks are more dangerous and are a bigger threat to motorists,bicyclists and
pedestrians.
• Heavier trucks will cause more damage to our transportation infrastructure,especially in rural
counties like ours.
FISCAL IMPACT:
This request has no fiscal impact.
RECOMMENDATION:
That the Board agree to sign the letter in support of the Coalition Against Bigger Trucks.
REVI ED BY:
Mark McCaul County Administrator Date
pV $ONr ssf Board of County Commissioners
�'oo� 1820 Jefferson Street
m� 1 PO Box 1220
A . Port Townsend, WA 98368
IN Kate Dean,District 1 Heidi Eisenhour,District 2 Greg Brotherton,District 3
II
August 7,2023
Dear Members of Congress,
Representing local communities and Americans across the nation,we are concerned about our
transportation infrastructure. We strongly oppose proposals in Congress that would allow any
increase in truck length or weight—longer double-trailer trucks or heavier single-trailer trucks would
only make our current situation worse.
Local communities and our residents are what drive this country. We work every day to make sure
the needs and safety of our residents are met. Allowing heavier and longer trucks will most certainly
set us back in our efforts. Much of our transportation infrastructure that connects people to jobs,
schools and leisure is in disrepair, in part because local and rural roads and bridges are older and not
built to the same standards as Interstates. Many of us are unable to keep up with our current
maintenance schedules and replacement costs because of underfunded budgets.
The impacts of longer or heavier tractor-trailers would only worsen these problems. Millions of miles
of truck traffic operate on local roads and bridges across the country, and any bigger trucks allowed
on our Interstates would mean additional trucks that ultimately find their way onto our local
infrastructure. Longer and heavier trucks would cause significantly more damage to our transportation
infrastructure,costing us billions of dollars that local government budgets simply cannot afford,
compromising the very routes that American motorists use every day.
On behalf of America's local communities and our residents,we ask that you oppose any legislation
that would allow any increase in truck length or weight.
Sincerely,
Greg Brotherton,Commissioner and Chair
Kate Dean,Commissioner
Heidi Eisenhour,Commissioner
Phone (360) 385-9100 Fax(360) 385-9382 jeffbocc@cojefferson.wa.us