Resolution 2025-14_Opposing Fed Legislation increasing truck size or weight

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ti C� L A�9 u m RESOLUTION 2025-14 A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF LA PORTE, TEXAS, OPPOSING ALL FEDERAL LEGISLATION THAT INCREASES MAXIMUM ALLOWABLE COMMERCIAL TRUCK SIZE OR WEIGHT; FINDING COMPLIANCE WITH THE OPEN MEETINGS LAW; AND PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE HEREOF WHEREAS, the City of La Porte is concerned with the public safety and welfare of residents and visitors to our community and the cost, quality, and reliability of the City's infrastructure specifically local bridges; and WHEREAS, longer double -trailer commercial trucks across the National Highway System would further endanger motorists and the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) concluded that multi -trailer trucks have an 11-percent higher fatal crash rate than single -trailer trucks; 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 fires, and increase crash severity; and WHEREAS, La Porte is concerned with the safety of its residents and visitors who travel the same roads and highways as these bigger and heavier trucks; and, WHEREAS, according to the most recent data by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), there was a 41.4% increase in fatal crashes involving commercial trucks in Texas between 2012 to 2022; and WHEREAS, previously proposed federal legislation to increase maximum allowable truck size and weight were unfunded mandates leaving local municipalities like La Porte and its taxpayers to bear the financial burden for infrastructure damage caused by these bigger and heavier trucks; and, WHEREAS, the State of Texas has 1,827 local bridges at risk with 91,000-pound trucks with a replacement cost of $972,982,248; and, WHEREAS, La Porte residents are highly dependent on multiple roadways all of which are already heavily impacted by truck size and weight including I-10, Texas State Highway 146 and Texas State Highway 225; and,