HomeMy WebLinkAboutMemo - Read Before Packet - 4/2/2024 - Memorandum From Ginny Sawyer Re: Legislative Request Re: Letter From Coalition Against Bigger Trucks (Cabt).
City Manager’s Office
City Hall
300 LaPorte Ave.
PO Box 580
Fort Collins, CO 80522
970.221.6505
970.224.6107 - fax
fcgov.com
MEMORANDUM
Date: April 1, 2024
To: Mayor and City Councilmembers
Through: Kelly DiMartino, City Manager
Tyler Marr, Deputy City Manager
From: Ginny Sawyer, Project & Policy Manager
Subject: Legislative Request
Bottom Line:
Numerous staff and Councilmembers have been contacted by the Coalition Against Bigger Trucks
(CABT) requesting a letter of support. There are two bills in Congress that would allow an increase in
truck weights and numbers.
If Council would like staff to facilitate signing on and providing letters to our delegation, please advise
under Other Business.
A draft letter provided by CABT is attached.
DocuSign Envelope ID: B62302BA-528B-4CFD-A7A0-1988F1FC853B
The Honorable
United States Senate
261 Russell Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
Dear,
We are contacting your office to express concerns about legislation currently being
debated in Congress that seeks to increase truck weights on our roads. We are
asking for your opposition to federally-imposed truck size and weight increases, as
these proposals would unintentionally have negative impacts on both public works
budgets at the local level, as well as create more concerns about public safety on our
roads.
Two bills currently being debated, HR 3372 and HR 7496 (MOVE Act) would
effectively increase the maximum weight and numbers of commercial trucks with
on our roads both here in Northern Colorado and across the nation. Keeping in mind
that commercial trucks never start and end their trips on an Interstate highway,
these heavier trucks would end up on local streets and state-maintained roads to
make deliveries or even use them as alternate routing.
Allowing heavier trucks on our roads would inevitably lead to accelerated wear and
tear on the infrastructure that we, as taxpayers, have invested in over the years. In
fact, Fort Collins has invested $28.5 million in our road maintenance program as out
population has continued to grow, a 9.1% increase from our last 2-year budget.
Many of our streets and bridges are not designed to accommodate such heavy loads
and subjecting them to increased weight (of 91,000 pounds or more, as indicated in
the proposed bills) would significantly shorten their lifespan, resulting in higher
maintenance costs for our taxpayers. This is big reason that groups such as the
National League of Cities (NLC) and American Public Works Association (APWA)
have long been opposed to these broad, national increases.
Public safety is an equally critical consideration. In 2022, there were 108 crashes
involving commercial trucks in Larimer County, making the county one of the
highest crash-per-capita counties in Colorado. U.S. Department of Transportation
studies from 2016 found that heavier trucks have higher crash involvement rates,
braking violation rates, and less stability/maneuverability for drivers.
The trucking industry is a critical component of our logistics system, however, the
Colorado DOT already has the ability to grant exemptions and permits for heavier
DocuSign Envelope ID: B62302BA-528B-4CFD-A7A0-1988F1FC853B
trucks as the market demands – a federal increase with no additional funding for
our state’s local governments, with no additional safety requirements on heavier
trucks, presents some very serious concerns.
We respectfully request that you consider the broader implications of these
proposed bills to increase truck weights. We believe that it is essential to protect the
long-term sustainability and well-being of our community.
Thank you for your consideration.
Sincerely,
(SIGNATURES IN THIS SPACE)
DocuSign Envelope ID: B62302BA-528B-4CFD-A7A0-1988F1FC853B