Law enforcement officials opposed to laws allowing heavier truckloads
After the Fern Hollow Bridge collapsed in Pittsburgh Jan. 28, dozens of law enforcement and governmental officials from Butler County and around the state sent a letter to the Pennsylvania General Assembly asking lawmakers to oppose any increase in the maximum allowable weight of trucks on roads.
Butler County Sheriff Mike Slupe is among the signers of the petition, and said the heavier a truck, the more potential for danger and damage. Additionally, heavier truckloads could cause more damage to streets, inevitably costing more for county municipalities to repair.
“You have more stopping distance,” Slupe said of larger trucks. “They do damage to roads and bridges, threaten public safety; there's too many tragic crashes.”
Butler Township police Chief John Hays, Harmony Mayor Cathy Rape and Harmony Borough Council President Greg Such are other county officials who also signed the letter.
The letter was created March 8 by the Pennsylvania Chiefs of Police Association, Pennsylvania Municipal League, Pennsylvania Sheriffs’ Association, Pennsylvania State Association of Boroughs and Pennsylvania State Association of Township Supervisors. The letter said increased weight limits could put further strain on the roads and especially bridges around the state in desperate need of reconstruction or repair.
“Heavy trucks place extra stress on these bridges requiring more extensive repairs and eventually replacement. Allowing even heavier trucks than are legal today would only make the current situation worse,” the letter said.
House Bill 1232 has been in the Senate since last summer, and would provide annual hauling permits allowing larger loads of agricultural liming material, seed and fertilizer.
House Bill 1559 is in the House Transportation Committee and would allow for movement of larger loads of commercial machinery used for agricultural management by manufacturers and dealers.
William Thiele, Butler County’s representative for the Pennsylvania Farm Bureau, said farmers being able to receive more product at once could help cut down on the cost and wait time. However, he understands the dangers relating to more weight being on the road.
“If you are legally allowed to have a bigger load of seed or fertilizer delivered, the cost could be lower to the individual farmer,” Thiele said. “I see their point, but at the same time we need to keep up with infrastructure and have drivers be mindful and safe.”
Joshua Collins, regional director of the Coalition Against Bigger Trucks, said legislators should pause new truck weight exemptions until more comprehensive data can be collected on their impact on public safety.
The letter said that a lot of local roads and bridges are in disrepair because they are older and not built to the same standards as interstates or state roads.
“Many of us are unable to keep up with our current maintenance schedules and replacement costs because of budget constraints,” the letter said.
Collins also said roads and bridges have posted weight limits for a reason, which Slupe echoed.
“You can have a three ton road because there is a bridge that can't handle any more,” Slupe said. “They are marked that way for specific reasons because that's the way the roads are constructed. Some could not take the weight.”
Slupe said other law enforcement officials from Butler County are in support of the letter as well, although state police are probably the agency that deals most in enforcing weight limits locally and across the state.
Larger trucks could lead to more treacherous traffic scenarios as well.
“There is enough road rage following a truck, passing a truck on our highways and creating a long line of people who want to pass legally,” Slupe said. “You go on a slight hill seeing a slow truck; one guy thinks he can go faster. Now you're going to have a mile of vehicles waiting to pass.”
