LRB-1866/1
BAB:kjf:pg
2007 - 2008 LEGISLATURE
April 10, 2007 - Introduced by Joint Legislative Council. Referred to Committee
on Transportation.
AB238,1,2
1An Act relating to: requiring the Department of Transportation to study vehicle
2size and weight limits.
Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau
This bill is explained in the Notes provided by the Joint Legislative Council in
the bill.
Joint Legislative Council prefatory note: This bill was prepared for the special
committee on highway weight limits. The study committee was created by the joint
legislative council in response to the mandate of
2005 Wisconsin Act 167 which provides
as follows:
"The joint legislative council shall conduct a comprehensive study to review the
system of motor vehicle weight limits on the state's highways and bridges. The study shall
include the issues and interrelationships between economic impacts, truck
configurations, expected compliance levels and enforcement constraints, and impacts on
the public infrastructure, operational, and safety issues. The joint legislative council
shall convene a committee to conduct the study, and representatives of local government,
the department of transportation, the trucking industry, the raw forest products industry,
and agricultural producers shall be invited to serve on the committee...."
Early in its work, the special committee was informed of the recent completion of
a study of truck size and weight limits in Minnesota. The final report of this study was
published in June 2006 in a report entitled "Minnesota Truck Size and Weight Project."
The report was prepared by consultants for the Minnesota department of transportation,
although the department provided leadership for the study. The study was
comprehensive and included participation by, and input from, a substantial number of
public and private stakeholders. In the study, Minnesota assessed changes to the truck
size and weight limit laws that would strike a balance between: (1) benefits to the
Minnesota economy resulting from appropriate size and weight limits; and (2) continuing
public safety and protection of state roads and bridges.
The special committee noted many similarities between issues considered in the
Minnesota study and issues that were suggested to the special committee for
consideration. The special committee believes that there would be substantial value in
conducting a similar study in Wisconsin. The Minnesota study identified a number of
truck axle and weight configurations, changes in the seasonal weight limits, and other
policy modifications that would have a positive cost-benefit ratio when comparing costs
of protecting the highway infrastructure and ensuring public safety to the benefits to the
state's economy of reducing the costs of trucking by allowing heavier loads. The
committee determined that if similar findings were made in a Wisconsin study, statutory
and policy changes could be based on those findings and would result in a net benefit to
the Wisconsin economy while taking into consideration the effects on the infrastructure
and safety of state and local highways, roads, and bridges.
The special committee also determined that the broad scope of such a study would
require significant expertise, time, and resources, and would be beyond the capabilities
of the committee. Therefore, the special committee recommends that the department of
transportation be directed to contract for a study of the benefits and costs of the Wisconsin
truck size and weight limit laws to identify changes in those laws that would have a net
benefit to Wisconsin's economy, when considering the costs of protecting highway
infrastructure and safety, and the benefits that would result from reducing the cost of
truck transportation.
AB238,2,62
(1) The department of transportation shall contract for a study of Wisconsin's
3truck size and weight limit laws, to identify changes in those laws that would have
4a net benefit to Wisconsin's economy, when considering the costs of protecting
5highway infrastructure and safety, and the benefits that would result from reducing
6the cost of truck transportation.
AB238,2,107
(2) The consultant that undertakes the study under this section shall review
8those vehicle configurations, changes in seasonal restrictions, and other policy issues
9that were found to have a net benefit in the cost-benefit analysis in the Minnesota
10truck size and weight project final report that was issued in June 2006.
AB238,3,711
(3) The department of transportation shall appoint an advisory committee
12under section 227.13 of the statutes to assist in the review and report required under
13this section. The advisory committee shall include representation from the
1department of commerce and local governmental units, trucking companies,
2industries and small businesses that depend on truck transport, enforcement
3agencies, and other groups and individuals that are interested in and knowledgeable
4about truck size and weight limits. All advisory committee members may present
5written commentary on or dissenting views from the report and the department of
6transportation shall incorporate that commentary and any dissents into the final
7report.
AB238,3,118
(4) The consultant that undertakes the study under this section shall prepare
9a report on the results of its study. The department of transportation shall submit
10the report to the legislature in the manner provided under section 13.172 (3) of the
11statutes, no later than January 1, 2009.
