2009 Senate Resolution 9
ENGROSSED RESOLUTION
Relating to: calling on the Wisconsin congressional delegation to take action to grandfather preexisting highway weight limits upon the designation of USH 41 as part of the Dwight D. Eisenhower system of interstate and defense highways.
Whereas, commercial truck transportation is an essential component of economic activity in every part of this state; and
Whereas, any opportunity to haul heavier loads by truck, consistent with the capacity of existing highways to carry those loads without unreasonable highway wear and damage, can add greatly to the efficiency of truck transportation, resulting in a substantial benefit to the state's economy as a whole; and
Whereas, recent studies of highway weight limits in Wisconsin and Minnesota show that, under specified circumstances, weight limits can be increased with a net benefit to the economy, when considering both the costs of protecting the highway infrastructure and safety and the benefits that would result from reducing the cost of truck transportation; and
Whereas, the state of Wisconsin is engaged in an ongoing effort to upgrade state numbered highways to interstate highway standards, and to convert state numbered highways to interstate highways, one result of which is that the weight limits for divisible loads of certain commodities on a newly designated interstate highway may be less than the weight limits on state numbered highways and local roads in the remainder of the state, thus forcing trucks off the interstates and onto state and local roads to capture the increased efficiency of heavier loads; and
Whereas, the diversion of heavy truck traffic onto state and local roads causes a variety of problems, such as safety hazards caused by large trucks driving through small towns or the operation of overweight trucks on local roads that are not policed by law enforcement personnel adequately trained in truck weight enforcement; and
Whereas, this problem occurs not just in Wisconsin but also nationwide, as shown by the many individual exemptions to interstate weight limits already adopted by Congress to grandfather preexisting weight limits on portions of state highways that have been converted to interstate highways; and
Whereas, Congress enacted legislation, in 23 USC 127, grandfathering certain preexisting state highway weight limits on I 39 from Portage to Wausau after its designation as part of the interstate system under 23 USC 103; now, therefore, be it
Resolved by the senate, That the senate of the state of Wisconsin respectfully urges the Wisconsin congressional delegation to use all means at its disposal to create an exception under 23 USC 127 grandfathering preexisting state highway weight limits on USH 41 upon its designation under 23 USC 103 as part of the interstate system; and, be it further
Resolved, That the senate chief clerk shall send copies of this joint resolution to the secretary of the U.S. department of transportation and to each member of the congressional delegation from this state.
