CHARLESTON, W.V.—As the chief of police of Parkersburg and the president of the West Virginia Chiefs of Police Association, public safety is always at the forefront of my mind.
But protecting our families and residents comes in many different forms. One particularly pressing and deeply troubling issue is the threat in Congress that would allow for heavier and longer tractor-trailer trucks on our roads. This is especially critical here in West Virginia because both of our U.S. senators sit on the committee that will decide on these bigger-truck proposals, and they hold two key votes that can eliminate this looming threat to our motorists.
Our state already faces a high level of truck traffic. We have Interstate 77, Interstate 64 and Interstate 79. Many of you have traveled the West Virginia Turnpike and know all too well the number of tractor-trailer trucks that travel just there alone.