89R13396 AND-F
By: Leo Wilson H.B. No. 4605
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to the designation of routes for the movement of oversize
and overweight vehicles in certain counties.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Subchapter A, Chapter 623, Transportation Code,
is amended by adding Section 623.009 read as follows:
Sec. 623.009. DESIGNATED ROUTE IN COUNTY. (a) This section
applies only to a county that:
(1) has a population of less than 100,000; and
(2) contains a port or is located within 15 miles of a
port.
(b) Notwithstanding Section 623.003, to the extent the
department is required to determine a route under this chapter in
the unincorporated area of a county, the department shall consult
with the commissioners court of the county to designate to the
department the route in that area. The commissioners court shall
consult with the Texas Department of Transportation, port
authorities, regional planning organizations, and trucking
industry before recommending the designation of a route under this
section.
(c) In making a routing recommendation under this section,
the commissioners court shall consider:
(1) the proximity of the route to ports,
transportation hubs, and intermodal facilities;
(2) existing roadway conditions, infrastructure, and
capacity to support oversize and overweight vehicles;
(3) traffic safety concerns, including accident
history and the safety of local communities;
(4) environmental impacts, including air quality and
noise pollution; and
(5) potential for economic development, including the
movement of goods to and from local businesses and industries.
(d) The Texas Department of Transportation:
(1) is responsible for installing appropriate signs
for the designated route; and
(2) shall allocate money from the state highway fund
for the maintenance of the designated route if authorized under
Subtitle B, Title 6.
(e) The Department of Public Safety shall have authority to
enforce requirements related to a route designated under this
section.
SECTION 2. Section 623.009, Transportation Code, as added
by this Act, applies only to a routing determination made under
Chapter 623, Transportation Code, on or after the effective date of
this Act.
SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.