Senate Study Bill 1046 - Introduced SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION NO. _____ BY (PROPOSED COMMITTEE ON TRANSPORTATION RESOLUTION BY CHAIRPERSON ZUMBACH) A Concurrent Resolution urging the members of Congress 1 to amend federal law to increase the maximum gross 2 weight allowed for motor vehicles operated on the 3 interstate road system in Iowa and bordering states. 4 WHEREAS, federal law imposes a uniform combined 5 gross weight limit of 80,000 pounds for vehicles 6 operated on the interstate road system, unless 7 expressly exempted; and 8 WHEREAS, a number of exemptions to the weight limit 9 are provided on certain segments of the interstate road 10 system, including in Iowa and in states that border 11 Iowa; and 12 WHEREAS, vehicles with six or more axles can safely 13 and efficiently handle loads exceeding 80,000 pounds 14 while complying with reasonable axle weight limits, 15 as evidenced by the 96,000 pound weight limit for 16 commercial motor vehicles with seven axles driven on 17 primary highways that are not part of the interstate 18 road system in Iowa; and 19 WHEREAS, commercial motor vehicle drivers are 20 inconvenienced while navigating the interstate road 21 system by encountering different weight limits on 22 different segments of the same interstate road system 23 within and across state borders; and 24 WHEREAS, it is in the best interest of Iowa and the 25 states that border Iowa to have the same vehicle weight 26 limits on the interstate road system across all states 27 -1- LSB 2109XC (2) 91 th/ns 1/ 2
S.C.R. _____ that border Iowa; and 1 WHEREAS, it is also in the best interest of Iowa 2 to increase the payload capacity of commercial motor 3 vehicles, which may result in fewer vehicles on the 4 interstate road system and improve traffic flow; NOW 5 THEREFORE, 6 BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE, THE HOUSE OF 7 REPRESENTATIVES CONCURRING, That the General Assembly 8 of the State of Iowa urges Congress to amend federal 9 law to authorize the federal highway administration 10 to raise the weight limit on the interstate road 11 system in Iowa and in the states that border Iowa to 12 96,000 pounds for commercial motor vehicles with seven 13 axles; and 14 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That copies of this 15 resolution be distributed to the President of the 16 United States Senate, the Speaker of the United States 17 House of Representatives, and each member of Iowas 18 congressional delegation. 19 -2- LSB 2109XC (2) 91 th/ns 2/ 2