Legislation passed the Georgia House of Representatives on Monday, March 6, that would allow for increased truck weights on Georgia roads, streets and bridges. Pushed by industry representatives, the legislation as currently written would allow for truck weight variances of up to 88,000 pounds.
According to a January 2023 survey by GMA, city officials are overwhelmingly opposed to the proposed legislation and feel that its passage would have a number of detrimental effects, to include:
- increased damage to local roadways,
- increased threats to motorist and pedistrian safety,
- additional burdens on public safety resources, and
- increased costs to local taxpayers.
Source: GMA January 2023 survey of city officials.
Federal laws prohibit these heavy trucks on the Interstate highways system. If truck weights were to be increased in Georgia, trucks will then have to increase travel on state and local roads that are not designed to withstand these weights.
While Georgia city officials recognize the economic value of having industries nearby and supplying jobs to residents, they believe that infrastructure and public safety risks outweigh the benefits of increased truck weights.