08-R235

2008 -- H 8296

Enacted 05/15/08

H O U S E R E S O L U T I O N

REAFFIRMING ITS OPPOSITION TO FEDERAL PROPOSALS TO AUTHORIZE INCREASES IN THE SIZE OR WEIGHT OF COMMERCIAL MOTOR VEHICLES

Introduced By: Representatives Savage, and Story

Date Introduced: May 15, 2008

     WHEREAS, The State of Rhode Island is committed to protecting the safety of motorists

on its highways and to protecting taxpayers' investment in our highway infrastructure; and

     WHEREAS, The General Assembly of the State of Rhode Island and Providence

Plantations resolved jointly to urge the Congress of the United States to oppose proposals to

increase truck size or weight limitations in 1997 (Assembly Joint Resolution No. 8) and 2003

(Senate Joint Resolution No. 7) because of the threat that longer combination vehicles and other

larger trucks present to highway safety; and

     WHEREAS, There are proposals to include increases in the size or weight of commercial

motor vehicles, including triple-trailer trucks, in legislation reauthorizing federal transportation

funding, which will be considered in the United States Congress in 2009; and

     WHEREAS, Recent events have focused public concern on the quality of our highway

infrastructure, especially bridges; and

     WHEREAS, Federal and state studies have found that increasing the size and weight of

commercial motor vehicles may accelerate the deterioration of bridges and highway

infrastructure; and

     WHEREAS, The extent of damage to bridges that would be caused by operations of

bigger and heavier commercial vehicles is unknown; and

     WHEREAS, The 2007 National Bridge Inventory maintained by the Federal Highway

Administration classified 53% of bridges in Rhode Island as having been rated structurally

deficient or functionally obsolete; now, therefore be it

     RESOLVED, That this House of Representatives of the State of Rhode Island and

Providence Plantations hereby reaffirms its opposition to proposals, at all levels of government,

that would authorize increases in the size and weight of commercial motor vehicles because of

the impact that these increases would have on highway infrastructure, especially bridges; and be

it further

     RESOLVED, That the Secretary of State be and he hereby is authorized and directed to

transmit duly certified copies of this resolution to the President and Vice President of the United

States, the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, the Majority Leader of the

United States Senate and the Rhode Island Delegation to the Congress of the United States.

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LC02933

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