Georgia truck weight limits battle heads to Capitol

Georgia firms that use huge business vans and the native governments who keep roads are dealing with off but once more over the quantity of weight these vans can haul.

Why it issues: The seemingly annual — and really wonky — battle on the Georgia Capitol has huge results on infrastructure, security and the funds of a few of Georgia’s greatest employers.

What’s taking place: Georgia’s forestry, concrete, poultry and different members of the state’s largest industries plan to ask the state to permit business vans to weigh as much as 90,000 kilos on state roads.

• That is up from the present 80,000-pound restrict on the books. Industries cite greater gasoline prices, inflation and tight labor markets.

Of be aware: The federal authorities prohibits vans heavier than 80,000 kilos from touring on the interstate, which suggests heavier vans have to stay to native roads.

State of play: In March 2020, Gov. Brian Kemp issued an govt order permitting vans to haul as much as 95,000 kilos to maintain provide chains shifting in the course of the pandemic. That govt order sunsets on Feb. 9.

• With out an extension or new laws, trade officers instructed Axios, Georgia would have the bottom weight limits within the South, placing firms at a aggressive drawback with different states.

Zoom out: The difficulty does not simply have an effect on rural areas. The Atlanta Metropolis Council not too long ago authorised a decision urging the state and federal authorities to not bump up truck weight limits.

Sure, however: Metropolis and county governments keep roughly 80% of roads in Georgia and greater than 8,000 bridges, Kathleen Bowen of ACCG, an affiliation that represents counties on the Capitol, instructed Axios.

• 90,000 kilos is almost double the burden that the majority county roads can accommodate, she says, and the elevated put on and tear and additional pressure on bridges enhance upkeep prices and shortens their lifespans.

The opposite facet: If vans can pull extra weight, the trade argues, they will have fewer vans on the highway.

• The forestry trade might scale back the variety of miles traveled on roads and bridges by 20 million miles a 12 months, officers say.

What’s subsequent: Laws is imminent.