“If legal weight limits were increased on all highways governed by the State of Illinois, roads would likely deteriorate faster and more severely,” said Decker. “Allowing permitted weight limit increases would likely cause additional deterioration, but that could be offset by the fee charged for each permit that would go toward road repairs.”
An opponent of larger trucks, Bartonville Police Chief Brian Fengel, president of the Illinois Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP), traveled to Washington, D.C., last month to meet with Illinois legislators.
“There was a group of sheriffs and (police) chiefs who went and lobbied Congress and expressed our concerns about bigger trucks,” said Fengel. “This is ongoing. Our group focused on certain individuals in Congress. Then, another group will go out in March. Another one will go out in April.”