Federal lawmakers are trying to pass a new transportation bill called the BUILD America 250 Act.
The BUILD America 250 Act would authorize $580 billion in transportation funding over the next five years. The bill also contains an amendment increasing commercial truck weight limits from 80,000 to 91,000 pounds.
Personal injury attorney John J. Reagan has spent 30 years representing victims of commercial vehicle accidents. He said more weight means more danger.
"Increased weight means increased force," he said. "It's a matter of physics. It's going to increase the stopping distance that a tractor-trailer driver needs to safely control his vehicle or her vehicle. It's going to increase maneuverability, and it's going to increase the force of an impact, which is likely to cause more severe injuries."
According to the National Bridge Registry, heavier trucks would create a $78 billion infrastructure deficit nationwide. In Cuyahoga County, the registry said 67 of the county's 478 bridges would be at risk. Repairs would cost $283 million to local governments.
The Coalition Against Bigger Trucks said the act is an unfunded federal mandate, meaning local communities would have to pay for any damages themselves.
"Even though we're talking about federal interstates, we all know those trucks are going to come off the interstates and come into our communities," Emily Mills, director of advocacy with the Coalition Against Bigger Trucks, said. "They need to rest, recover, and drop off their goods and refuel. They're not loading and unloading on the side of the roads. They're using our local road features, so it's disingenuous to suggest that local roads and localities aren't on the line for this."
Congresswoman Emilia Sykes voted for the underlying bill, but not the weight limit amendment.
"It is a legitimate concern, and we've heard a lot from people about the issue," she said. "We wanted to make sure that my position was clear and in line with those folks here in the district and ensuring people are safe when they're on our roads."
The following statement was sent to News 5 from the Shippers Coalition:
“The Shippers Coalition strongly supports the BUILD 250 Act and its voluntary pilot program allowing states to permit six-axle trucks weighing up to 91,000 pounds on Interstate highways. The 80,000-pound limit has been in place since 1982, despite decades of advances in vehicle safety and infrastructure technology. The requirement for a sixth axle will add another set of tires and brakes, spreading weight more evenly, improving braking, and reducing pavement wear compared with today's trucks. The pilot program would allow the same amount of freight to be moved in fewer trips, easing congestion, fuel consumption, emissions, and costs. This is a measured, data-driven step toward modernizing America's freight network.”
The bill with the amendment passed the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure in May. Sykes said the amendment's inclusion is not final.
"There were enough votes to put it in the underlying bill, so it will be on the floor when it ultimately makes it there," she said. "There's still an opportunity when it makes it to the Senate to pull that part and renegotiate it."
The BUILD America 250 Act will need to pass the full House of Representatives, the Senate, and be signed by President Donald Trump before it becomes law.
Federal lawmakers have until September 30 to pass a new transportation bill.
