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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMINUTES - 06092009 - C.41RECOMMENDATION(S): ADOPT "Support" position on HR 1618 and AUTHORIZE the Chair to sign letters communicating this position to federal legislators, as recommended by the Transportation, Water and Infrastructure Committee. FISCAL IMPACT: NONE from the recommended action. BACKGROUND: The Transportation, Water and Infrastructure Committee reviewed U.S. House Resolution 1618 on May 18 and provides the following recommendation to the Board of Supervisors. The Committee recommends a position of "Support" on HR 1618. Introduced by Congressman James P. McGovern (D-Massachusetts), this bill would maintain the current federal limit of 80,000 pounds on the size of trucks that can use the Interstate Highway System, and would extend this size limit to additional highways including state highways. The bill was a response to efforts APPROVE OTHER RECOMMENDATION OF CNTY ADMINISTRATOR RECOMMENDATION OF BOARD COMMITTEE Action of Board On: 06/09/2009 APPROVED AS RECOMMENDED OTHER Clerks Notes: VOTE OF SUPERVISORS AYE:John Gioia, District I Supervisor Gayle B. Uilkema, District II Supervisor Mary N. Piepho, District III Supervisor Susan A. Bonilla, District IV Supervisor Federal D. Glover, District V Supervisor Contact: John Greitzer 335-1201 I hereby certify that this is a true and correct copy of an action taken and entered on the minutes of the Board of Supervisors on the date shown. ATTESTED: June 9, 2009 David J. Twa, County Administrator and Clerk of the Board of Supervisors By: Katherine Sinclair, Deputy cc: C.41 To:Board of Supervisors From:Transportation, Water and Infrastructure Comm Date:June 9, 2009 Contra Costa County Subject:Transportation legislation: HR 1618 BACKGROUND: (CONT'D) by the trucking industry to allow larger, longer trucks to use the nation's highways. This position is consistent with the positions taken by the California State Association of Counties (CSAC). Following is the information provided to the Transportation, Water and Infrastructure Committee on May 18. HR 1618 -- Recommend "Support" House Resolution 1618 was introduced in Congress in March by U.S. Representative James P. McGovern (D-Massachusetts) to resist the trucking industry’s efforts to use larger, longer trucks on the nation’s highways. The bill would maintain the current 80,000-pound federal limit on the size of trucks using the Interstate Highway System and would extend the weight limit to additional highways. The author believes that larger trucks on the highway system will present safety problems and maintenance problems, since larger trucks will impose more of a pounding on highway pavement. The bill expresses particular concern for the loads that larger trucks will impose on the nation’s bridges, many of which have been determined to be structurally deficient or have limited ability to accommodate such large trucks because they were designed 50 years ago or more, before such large trucks existed. The nation’s trucking organizations are aggressively attempting to have larger truck sizes authorized in the new multi-year transportation reauthorization bill now under discussion in Congress. An equally motivated lobby has organized to maintain the current limits and extend them beyond just the Interstate Highway System. The lobby working to maintain the limits – and support HR 1618 – includes public safety organizations, law enforcement organizations, senior citizens’ advocacy groups, environmental groups, and local governments. Within California, notable supporters of HR 1618 include CSAC, the California Association of Highway Patrolmen, California Police Chiefs Association, State Firefighters Association, American Nurses Association/California, and the California Bicycle Coalition. Local supporters include the Cities of Antioch, Alameda, and Berkeley and the Area 4 Agency on Aging. Not surprisingly, the Association of American Railroads also supports the bill. Larger trucks could pose more competition for freight railroads, which were enjoying a strong resurgence until the economy sank. HR 1618 would maintain the current limit of 80,000 pounds for truck trailers (typically 53 feet in length), and extend the size limit to the entire National Highway System. This system includes not only the Interstate highways (I-80, I-580 and I-680 in Contra Costa County) but also additional highways designated by the U.S. Department of Transportation as being of national importance. These additional highways include State Route 24, State Route 160 and the freeway portions of State Route 4. Eleven states already allowed larger truck trailers before the current federal limit was imposed in 1991, so larger trucks are “grandfathered in” for those eleven states. HR 1618 would not affect those states. California is not one of the eleven states. Exhibit A is a letter from U.S. Rep. McGovern, summarizing the bill and explaining his reasons for introducing it. Exhibit B contains five letters of support for the bill that, if authorized by the Board and signed by the Chair, will be sent to Reps. Tauscher, Miller and McNerney and Senators Feinstein and Boxer. The Transportation, Water and Infrastructure Committee recommends the Board of Supervisors adopt a “Support” position on HR 1618, and authorize the Chair to sign the letters shown in Exhibit B. The letters to our House delegation are specific to HR 1618, while the letters to the Senators are more general, since no specific bill has yet been introduced in the Senate. CONSEQUENCE OF NEGATIVE ACTION: CHILDREN'S IMPACT STATEMENT: ATTACHMENTS Exhibit A HR 1618 Summary Exhibit B letters HR 1618 1 The Board of Supervisors County Administration Building 651 Pine Street, Room 106 Martinez, California 94553 John Gioia, 1st District Gayle B. Uilkema, 2nd District Mary N. Piepho, 3rd District Susan A. Bonilla, 4th District Federal D. Glover, 5th District June 9, 2009 The Honorable Ellen Tauscher 2459 Rayburn HOB Washington, D.C. 20515 Re: House Resolution 1618: limits on size of commercial trucks: SUPPORT Dear Representative Tauscher: The Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors has adopted a position of “support” for HR 1618 (McGovern, D-MA), the Safe Highways and Infrastructure Preservation Act (SHIPA). We wish to let you know that the County strongly supports this bill, which will protect our highways and bridges by maintaining the current federal limits on commercial truck size, and extending this size limit to the entire National Highway System. We request that you consider supporting and co-sponsoring HR 1618. As you may know, the trucking industry has been lobbying for a relaxation of the 80,000- pound limit on commercial trucks on the Interstate Highway System. This limit was put in place by the federal government in 1982, and increasing it today would endanger all highway users and increase the damaging loads that super-sized trucks impose on the road surfaces of our nation’s highways and bridges. HR 1618 has been introduced to maintain the size limit and extend it to all components of the National Highway System, not just the Interstates. In Contra Costa County, this means the size limits also would apply to State Route 24, State Route 160, and the freeway portions of State Route 4, in addition to I-80, I-580 and I-680. Roadway maintenance work is already backlogged all over the country due to funding constraints, and we are concerned that larger, heavier trucks would only exacerbate our pavement maintenance backlog by creating greater maintenance needs that can’t be adequately funded with today’s size and weight limits. In addition, we have concerns about the weight loads that larger trucks would impose on some bridges that were designed and built decades ago, before such large trucks existed. The U.S. Department of Transportation reports that more than half of the bridges on the David Twa Clerk of the Board and County Administrator (925) 335-1900 Contra Costa County 2 National Highway System are more than 40 years old, and one of every eight is structurally deficient. Finally, the last Federal Highway Allocation Study found that trucks operating at the 80,000- pound limit underpay by approximately 20 percent relative to the damage they create to highways. By maintaining the size limit, and extending it to additional highways, Congress can ensure the underpayment rate goes no higher than that. Thank you for your consideration, and for your efforts on behalf of the people of Contra Costa County. Sincerely, SUSAN A. BONILLA Chair, Board of Supervisors cc: U.S. Rep. James McGovern (MA-3) U.S. Rep. George Miller (CA-7) U.S. Rep. Jerry McNerney (CA-11) Members, Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors Lara DeLaney, County Administrator’s Office Julie Bueren, Public Works Director Catherine Kutsuris, Director of Conservation and Development Kiana Buss, California State Association of Counties 3 The Board of Supervisors County Administration Building 651 Pine Street, Room 106 Martinez, California 94553 John Gioia, 1st District Gayle B. Uilkema, 2nd District Mary N. Piepho, 3rd District Susan A. Bonilla, 4th District Federal D. Glover, 5th District June 9, 2009 The Honorable George Miller 2205 Rayburn House Office Building Washington, D.C. 20515 Re: House Resolution 1618: limits on size of commercial trucks: SUPPORT Dear Representative Miller: The Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors has adopted a position of “support” for HR 1618 (McGovern, D-MA), the Safe Highways and Infrastructure Preservation Act (SHIPA). We wish to let you know that the County strongly supports this bill, which will protect our highways and bridges by maintaining the current federal limits on commercial truck size, and extending this size limit to the entire National Highway System. We request that you consider supporting and co-sponsoring HR 1618. As you may know, the trucking industry has been lobbying for a relaxation of the 80,000- pound limit on commercial trucks on the Interstate Highway System. This limit was put in place by the federal government in 1982, and increasing it today would endanger all highway users and increase the damaging loads that super-sized trucks impose on the road surfaces of our nation’s highways and bridges. HR 1618 has been introduced to maintain the size limit and extend it to all components of the National Highway System, not just the Interstates. In Contra Costa County, this means the size limits also would apply to State Route 24, State Route 160, and the freeway portions of State Route 4, in addition to I-80, I-580 and I-680. Roadway maintenance work is already backlogged all over the country due to funding constraints, and we are concerned that larger, heavier trucks would only exacerbate our pavement maintenance backlog by creating greater maintenance needs that can’t be adequately funded with today’s size and weight limits. In addition, we have concerns about the weight loads that larger trucks would impose on some bridges that were designed and built decades ago, before such large trucks existed. The U.S. Department of Transportation reports that more than half of the bridges on the David Twa Clerk of the Board and County Administrator (925) 335-1900 Contra Costa County 4 National Highway System are more than 40 years old, and one of every eight is structurally deficient. Finally, the last Federal Highway Allocation Study found that trucks operating at the 80,000- pound limit underpay by approximately 20 percent relative to the damage they create to highways. By maintaining the size limit, and extending it to additional highways, Congress can ensure the underpayment rate goes no higher than that. Thank you for your consideration, and for your efforts on behalf of the people of Contra Costa County. Sincerely, SUSAN A. BONILLA Chair, Board of Supervisors cc: U.S. Rep. James McGovern (MA-3) U.S. Rep. Jerry McNerney (CA-11) U.S. Rep. Ellen Tauscher (CA-10) Members, Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors Lara DeLaney, County Administrator’s Office Julie Bueren, Public Works Director Catherine Kutsuris, Director of Conservation and Development Kiana Buss, California State Association of Counties 5 The Board of Supervisors County Administration Building 651 Pine Street, Room 106 Martinez, California 94553 John Gioia, 1st District Gayle B. Uilkema, 2nd District Mary N. Piepho, 3rd District Susan A. Bonilla, 4th District Federal D. Glover, 5th District June 9, 2009 The Honorable Jerry McNerney 312 Cannon House Office Building Washington, D.C. 20515 Re: House Resolution 1618: limits on size of commercial trucks: SUPPORT Dear Representative McNerney: The Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors has adopted a position of “support” for HR 1618 (McGovern, D-MA), the Safe Highways and Infrastructure Preservation Act (SHIPA). We wish to let you know that the County strongly supports this bill, which will protect our highways and bridges by maintaining the current federal limits on commercial truck size, and extending this size limit to the entire National Highway System. We request that you consider supporting and co-sponsoring HR 1618. As you may know, the trucking industry has been lobbying for a relaxation of the 80,000- pound limit on commercial trucks on the Interstate Highway System. This limit was put in place by the federal government in 1982, and increasing it today would endanger all highway users and increase the damaging loads that super-sized trucks impose on the road surfaces of our nation’s highways and bridges. HR 1618 has been introduced to maintain the size limit and extend it to all components of the National Highway System, not just the Interstates. In Contra Costa County, this means the size limits also would apply to State Route 24, State Route 160, and the freeway portions of State Route 4, in addition to I-80, I-580 and I-680. Roadway maintenance work is already backlogged all over the country due to funding constraints, and we are concerned that larger, heavier trucks would only exacerbate our pavement maintenance backlog by creating greater maintenance needs that can’t be adequately funded with today’s size and weight limits. In addition, we have concerns about the weight loads that larger trucks would impose on some bridges that were designed and built decades ago, before such large trucks existed. The U.S. Department of Transportation reports that more than half of the bridges on the David Twa Clerk of the Board and County Administrator (925) 335-1900 Contra Costa County 6 National Highway System are more than 40 years old, and one of every eight is structurally deficient. Finally, the last Federal Highway Allocation Study found that trucks operating at the 80,000- pound limit underpay by approximately 20 percent relative to the damage they create to highways. By maintaining the size limit, and extending it to additional highways, Congress can ensure the underpayment rate goes no higher than that. Thank you for your consideration, and for your efforts on behalf of the people of Contra Costa County. Sincerely, SUSAN A. BONILLA Chair, Board of Supervisors cc: U.S. Rep. James McGovern (MA-3) U.S. Rep. George Miller (CA-7) U.S. Rep. Ellen Tauscher (CA-10) Members, Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors Lara DeLaney, County Administrator’s Office Julie Bueren, Public Works Director Catherine Kutsuris, Director of Conservation and Development Kiana Buss, California State Association of Counties 7 The Board of Supervisors County Administration Building 651 Pine Street, Room 106 Martinez, California 94553 John Gioia, 1st District Gayle B. Uilkema, 2nd District Mary N. Piepho, 3rd District Susan A. Bonilla, 4th District Federal D. Glover, 5th District June 9, 2009 The Honorable Dianne Feinstein United States Senate 331 Hart Senate Office Building Washington, D.C. 20510 Re: Limits on size of commercial trucks Dear Senator Feinstein: The Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors supports the current federal limits on the size and weight of commercial trucks using the nation’s highways. This issue has come before us due to pending legislation in the House that would maintain the current limits on truck size and extend the size limits to more highways. We strongly support such efforts. As you may know, the trucking industry has been lobbying for a relaxation of the 80,000- pound limit on commercial trucks on the Interstate Highway System. This limit was put in place by the federal government in 1982. Increasing truck sizes would endanger all highway users and increase the damaging loads that super-sized trucks impose on the road surfaces of our nation’s highways and bridges. Roadway maintenance work is already backlogged all over the country due to funding constraints, and we are concerned that larger, heavier trucks would only exacerbate our pavement maintenance backlog by creating greater maintenance needs that can’t be adequately funded with today’s size and weight limits. In addition, we have concerns about the weight loads that larger trucks would impose on some bridges that were designed and built decades ago, before such large trucks existed. The U.S. Department of Transportation reports that more than half of the bridges on the National Highway System are more than 40 years old, and one of every eight is structurally deficient. Finally, the last Federal Highway Allocation Study found that trucks operating at the 80,000- pound limit underpay by approximately 20 percent relative to the damage they create to highways. By maintaining the size limit, and extending it to additional highways, Congress can ensure the underpayment rate goes no higher than that. David Twa Clerk of the Board and County Administrator (925) 335-1900 Contra Costa County 8 If legislation is introduced in the Senate relevant to this topic, we hope you will vote to keep our current federal limits on truck sizes and not allow super-sized trucks to imperil the nation’s motorists and highways. Thank you for your consideration, and for your efforts on behalf of the people of Contra Costa County. Sincerely, SUSAN A. BONILLA Chair, Board of Supervisors cc: U.S. Senator Barbara Boxer Members, Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors Lara DeLaney, County Administrator’s Office Julie Bueren, Public Works Director Catherine Kutsuris, Director of Conservation and Development Kiana Buss, California State Association of Counties 9 The Board of Supervisors County Administration Building 651 Pine Street, Room 106 Martinez, California 94553 John Gioia, 1st District Gayle B. Uilkema, 2nd District Mary N. Piepho, 3rd District Susan A. Bonilla, 4th District Federal D. Glover, 5th District June 9, 2009 The Honorable Barbara Boxer United States Senate 112 Hart Senate Office Building Washington, D.C. 20510 Re: Limits on size of commercial trucks Dear Senator Boxer: The Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors supports the current federal limits on the size and weight of commercial trucks using the nation’s highways. This issue has come before us due to pending legislation in the House that would maintain the current limits on truck size and extend the size limits to more highways. We strongly support such efforts. As you may know, the trucking industry has been lobbying for a relaxation of the 80,000- pound limit on commercial trucks on the Interstate Highway System. This limit was put in place by the federal government in 1982. Increasing truck sizes would endanger all highway users and increase the damaging loads that super-sized trucks impose on the road surfaces of our nation’s highways and bridges. Roadway maintenance work is already backlogged all over the country due to funding constraints, and we are concerned that larger, heavier trucks would only exacerbate our pavement maintenance backlog by creating greater maintenance needs that can’t be adequately funded with today’s size and weight limits. In addition, we have concerns about the weight loads that larger trucks would impose on some bridges that were designed and built decades ago, before such large trucks existed. The U.S. Department of Transportation reports that more than half of the bridges on the National Highway System are more than 40 years old, and one of every eight is structurally deficient. Finally, the last Federal Highway Allocation Study found that trucks operating at the 80,000- pound limit underpay by approximately 20 percent relative to the damage they create to highways. By maintaining the size limit, and extending it to additional highways, Congress can ensure the underpayment rate goes no higher than that. David Twa Clerk of the Board and County Administrator (925) 335-1900 Contra Costa County 10 If legislation is introduced in the Senate relevant to this topic, we hope you will vote to keep our current federal limits on truck sizes and not allow super-sized trucks to imperil the nation’s motorists and highways. Thank you for your consideration, and for your efforts on behalf of the people of Contra Costa County. Sincerely, SUSAN A. BONILLA Chair, Board of Supervisors cc: U.S. Senator Dianne Feinstein Members, Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors Lara DeLaney, County Administrator’s Office Julie Bueren, Public Works Director Catherine Kutsuris, Director of Conservation and Development Kiana Buss, California State Association of Counties