Matthew Muir

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEMarch 17, 2025CONTACT: Emily DeLuca – 703-229-2134 New Study: Nation’s Bridges at Risk if Congress Allows Bigger TrucksStates hit hardest: : Arkansas, California, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Kansas, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Missouri, New Jersey, Ohio, Oregon, Virginia and Washington. ALEXANDRIA, VA. (March 17, 2025)  — A new study released by the Coalition Against Bigger Trucks found that congressional proposals to allow heavier tractor trailers on highways would cause major damage to the nation’s local bridges if enacted into law. Updating an…

n support of CABT’s advocacy program, Hamburg Township in Michigan has adopted a resolution opposing increases to truck size and weight: “The Hamburg Township Board has approved a resolution opposing any increases in truck size and weight due to safety concerns and to help prevent damage to roads…. The resolution goes on to state “the water table is as little as 18 inches below the roadway in Hamburg Township, which creates difficulties during construction and maintenance. These roads would be…

This month, the House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee’s Highways and Transit Subcommittee held a critical hearing, “America Builds: A Review of Programs to Address Roadway Safety,” an important opportunity to discuss the condition of roadway safety across our nation. During the hearing, Rep. Jerrold Nadler (NY-12) raised serious concerns about the risks of heavier trucks, referencing the @Coalition Against Bigger Trucks Local Bridge Study that found that over 72,000 local bridges would be put at risk by 91,000-pound trucks, and…

“As chairman of the Tennessee General Assembly House Transportation Committee, I have major safety and infrastructure concerns about proposed federal legislation that would increase commercial truck size and weight on our nation’s highways…. I am working with members of our congressional delegation to help ensure this doesn’t become law, and I cannot keep silent about legislation that would jeopardize the lives of your family and mine.” Read more here+…

“With ports in Beaumont, Port Arthur, Orange and Sabine Pass, Interstate 10, highways US 90, US 69, US-96 and US 287, state highways Texas 73, Texas 87 and Texas 105 and several farm-to-market roads, Jefferson County experiences a large volume of commercial truck traffic daily. …. Driving on deteriorated roads costs Texas motorists $17.8 billion a year — $948 per motorist — in the form of additional repairs, accelerated vehicle depreciation, and increased fuel consumption and tire wear.” Read more…

“Wicomico County Council sent a letter of opposition to Senator Ben Cardin, voicing concern over a bill to increase the maximum weight limit for tractor trailers from 80,000 pounds to 91,000 pounds.  Wicomico Council Vice President Jeff Merritt spearheaded the letter in Wicomico County… ….In October, the Worcester County Council sent a similar letter. Council President Chip Bertino says it can be a challenge to fix the roads, without the heavier trucks.  “We are having a difficult time as it…

“CABT has asked for, and received, letters of support from the Worcester County Board of Commissioners and Sheriff Matt Crisafulli to oppose HB 3372 and HB 2948. The Commissioners approved the mailing of a letter to Sen. Ben Cardin that opposes the unfunded legislative proposals. “Increased sizes and weights will have a significant effect on our county-maintained roads and infrastructure,” the commissioners’ letter says. “Not only do heavier trucks do enormous damage to our highways, but they also increase costs…

Johnson County, Texas Commissioner Rick Bailey shares his experience in the trucking industry and as a county commissioner in charge of maintaining his roads and why heavy trucks threaten local insfrastructure. Listen here+…

“Counties are already overburdened with the responsibility of maintaining America’s bridges. Despite owning 36% of all bridges nationwide, counties oversee 51% of the bridges rated in poor condition. This overrepresentation underscores a critical point: Counties have struggled for years with underfunding from the federal government and growing maintenance backlogs. Now, with the potential of heavier trucks on the horizon, those challenges could quickly become insurmountable. The data makes one thing clear: Heavier trucks would disproportionately harm county-owned infrastructure. As bridges…

“County administrator Brad Myhre, who introduced the resolution at the Oct. 1 meeting, said there is concern the bill could be slipped into a larger funding bill during the lame-duck session of Congress between the Nov. 5 election and the start of the new administration in January 2025. The bill is opposed by the National Association of Counties and the National Association of County Engineers. The concern in Hunterdon County, Myhre said, is the potential impact of heavier trucks on…