M E M O R A N D U M
To: Honorable Members of the Town Council
From: Mayor Peggy R. Bell
Date: March 15, 2017
Re: Opposing Heavier and Longer Tractor-Trailers
REQUEST
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A RESOLUTION OF THE MAYOR AND TOWN COUNCIL OF THE TOWN OF CUTLER BAY, FLORIDA, OPPOSING HEAVIER AND LONGER COMMERCIAL SEMI-TRAILERS; SUPPORTING INCREASED SAFETY MEASURES FOR THE UNDERSIDE OF COMMERCIAL SEMI-TRAILERS; PROVIDING FOR TRANSMITTAL; AND PROVIDING FOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE.
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BACKGROUND AND ANALYSIS
The welfare of motorists and the quality of reliability of the Town's infrastructure is of great concern as commercial semi-trailers spend one-third of their travel miles on local roads and frequently travel on roads and streets adjacent to and through local municipalities. In years past, there has been legislation proposed to authorize an increase in the length and weight of commercial semi-trailers.
The United States Department of Transportation (USDOT) released its final report to Congress as part of the Department's MAP-21 Comprehensive Truck Size and Weight Limits Study in April 2016. The USDOT recommended that there should be no changes in current truck size and weight limits. USDOT evaluated a proposal to allow an increase to the current 28-foot limit on trailers to 33 feet and determined that a double-trailer truck at 91 feet in length, often called "Twin 33s," requires 22 feet more to stop than the twin-trailer configuration operating on highways today.
These longer trucks could mean heavier vehicles on the road, creating road hazards and threaten the safety of motorists and law enforcement officers because heavier and longer commercial semi-trailers are more difficult to control, take longer to stop, and increase crash severity.
RECOMMENDATION
It is recommended that the Town Council adopt the attached Resolution, opposing any increase in the weight or length of commercial semi-trailers and urges Congress to reject any proposal seeking to increase the weight or ...
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