“In an email, Mestres said the increased load would affect both Morgan County roads and bridges. “Morgan County secondary roads are not built to a 90,000-lb. standard for five-axel commercial trucks. The county has been working hard to rehabilitate our roadways by resurfacing utilizing Transportation Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax (TSPLOST) funds. Many of our roadways have less than three inches of asphalt before you get to a rock/dirt base. The 12.5 percent weight increase will increase the potential damage caused by these vehicles by 60 percent and decrease pavement life by 40 percent.”

Perriman said both city of Madison officials and the Georgia Municipal Association (GMA) stand against the proposed legislation. Cities like Madison, he said, are already dealing with increased truck traffic in their downtown areas. Added weight, he said, would create an unnecessary safety hazard. “Heavier trucks are harder to stop.”