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[Page S2234]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
PETITIONS AND MEMORIALS
The following petition or memorial was laid before the Senate and was
referred or ordered to lie on the table as indicated:
POM-27. A resolution adopted by the Senate of the State of
West Virginia urging the United States Congress to pass
legislation permitting vehicles traveling on interstate
highways in West Virginia to have the same maximum gross
vehicle weight and axle configuration as currently
permissible for vehicles traveling on United States routes in
West Virginia; to the Committee on Environment and Public
Works.
Senate Resolution 78
Whereas, Federal law currently imposes a maximum gross
vehicle weight of 80,000 pounds on interstate highways,
without any tolerance, and with axle weight restrictions and
the bridge formula often reducing such maximum weight; and
Whereas, West Virginia also has an 80,000-pound maximum
gross vehicle weight limit, but permits a 10-percent
tolerance, raising the permissible maximum weight to 88,000
pounds; and
Whereas, Vehicles transporting commodities through West
Virginia often reach our state on interstate highways, but
leave the interstate highways system and switch to West
Virginia's local roads, taking advantage of the higher weight
limit on such routes; and
Whereas, Such practice increases traffic on West Virginia's
mountainous country roads, raises safety concerns, and limits
economic avenues; and
Whereas, Interstates could safely support the same weight
restrictions as those on U.S. routes in West Virginia given
that the design standards used for both systems are identical
and the weight increase would be minimal; and
Whereas, The West Virginia Department of Transportation,
Division of Highways, is poised to address any questions
Congress or the U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal
Highway Administration, may have to demonstrate the
feasibility of this request; and
Whereas, Providing an exception to the existing weight
limits and restrictions in Title 23 of the United States
Code, including the bridge formula, for vehicles operating on
interstate highways in West Virginia will allow more vehicles
to travel the safer interstate highways and expand economic
access throughout West Virginia; and
Whereas, Congress has previously provided exceptions to the
maximum gross vehicle weight on interstate highways for
several states of the United States; therefore, be it
Resolved by the Legislature of West Virginia: That Congress
is urged to allow vehicles traveling on interstate highways
in West Virginia to have the same maximum gross vehicle
weight and axle configuration as currently permissible for
vehicles traveling on U.S. routes in West Virginia; and, be
it further
Resolved, That the Clerk of the Senate is hereby directed
to forward a copy of this resolution to the President and
Secretary of the United States Senate, to the Speaker and
Clerk of the United States House of Representatives, and to
the members of West Virginia's congressional delegation.
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