SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 55

(By Senators Plymale, Boso, and Cline)

[Introduced March 8, 2018]

Urging the Congress of the United States to pass a law permitting West Virginia to increase the weight of vehicles permitted to operate on interstate highways so that West Virginia may implement a pilot program to study various vehicle configurations and weights.

Whereas, Federal law currently imposes vehicle weight limitations on vehicles that operate on the National System of Interstate and Defense Highways, The Dwight D. Eisenhower System of Interstate and Defense Highways, hereafter “Interstate Highways”; and

Whereas, The maximum gross weight typically allowed by any State for vehicles using the Interstate Highways is twenty thousand pounds carried on one axle, a tandem axle weight of thirty-four thousand pounds, and an overall maximum gross weight by formula; and

Whereas, Federal law also contains many exceptions to such weight limits; and

Whereas, The increased capacity and ability of modern vehicles to transport commodities and products, together with increased economic pressures to reduce industry transportation costs and increased environmental pressures to lower carbon dioxide emissions, create economic incentives to increase the loads vehicles may transport; and

Whereas, Increasing the types of vehicles, weight of vehicles, and types of loading and trucking configurations permitted on roads would increase economic efficiencies; and

Whereas, Excessive weights of vehicles can result in the deterioration of roads and bridges, creating significant costs in lost road and bridge use and life; and

Whereas, Certain vehicle types, vehicle configurations, load configurations, and other factors can alleviate or avoid damaging effect on infrastructure from increased vehicle and load weights; and

Whereas, The West Virginia Legislature is directing the West Virginia Department of Transportation and Division of Highways, the West Virginia Department of Commerce, private industry, including manufacturers of commodities or products, and the engineering community, including the College of Information Technology and Engineering at Marshall University and the Statler College of Engineering and Mineral Resources at West Virginia University, to cooperate and study the effect various trucking configurations and weights have on West Virginia’s entire road system, including Interstate Highways; and

Whereas, Such study would include an analysis of which vehicle and load configurations and weights may be utilized with minimal consequence to West Virginia’s infrastructure, including Interstate Highways, while permitting industry to transport commodities and products in the most economical ways; and

Whereas, In order to complete such a study and pilot program, West Virginia needs permission from the Congress of the United States to increase the weight of vehicles permitted to operate on Interstate Highways; therefore, be it

Resolved by the Legislature of West Virginia:

That the Legislature urges the Congress of the United States to pass legislation permitting West Virginia to increase the weight of vehicles permitted to operate on Interstate Highways so that West Virginia may implement a pilot program to study various vehicle configurations and weights; and, be it

Further Resolved, That the Legislature urges the President of the United States to sign such legislation; and, be it

Further Resolved, That the Clerk of the Senate transmit copies of this resolution to the President and Vice President of the United States, to the Speaker of the House of Representatives, to the Majority Leader of the United States Senate, and to each Senator and Representative from West Virginia in the Congress of the United States.