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WHEREAS, the Council of the City of Pittsburgh is concerned with the safety of Motorists, pedestrians and bicyclists, as well as the cost, quality and reliability of our city and region’s infrastructure; and,
WHEREAS, the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) concluded that heavier trucks of 91,000 pounds or more would produce an additional $1.1 to $2.2 billion in damages to our nation’s bridges annually; and,
WHEREAS, allowing heavier or longer trucks on the National Highway System would threaten the safety of the traveling public because heavier and longer trucks would be more difficult to control, increase wear and tear on truck safety systems such as brakes, steering and tires, and increase crash severity; and,
WHEREAS, The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania contains 16,018 bridges that are rated as in either poor or “just fair” condition, or 70% percent of all bridges statewide, according to the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA); and,
WHEREAS, the City of Pittsburgh has committed $16 million dollars to the 2018 city paving budget, a significant increase from the previous year’s budget; and,
WHEREAS, government highway cost allocation studies show that increases in truck size and weight would exacerbate the existing underpayment of heavy trucks and increase their subsidization by municipalities, amounting to a new unfunded mandate; and,
WHEREAS, Interstate 279, Interstate 376, U.S. Highway 19, and State Route 885 (Boulevard of the Allies), among others, carry heavy volumes of truck traffic with the current permissible weights; and,
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NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the Council of the City of Pittsburgh does hereby oppose any federal increases in truck size or weight at this time.