SR 233 — OPPOSE WEIGHT LIMIT INCREASE

*LRB09911495GRL32630r* SR023309900SR0233 Enrolled LRB099 11495 GRL 32630 r SENATE RESOLUTION WHEREAS,NO. The State of Illinois is committed to protecting the safety of motorists on its roads and highways and to protecting taxpayers' investment in our highway infrastructure;

and233 WHEREAS, TruckThe crashesState areof aIllinois serious,is deadly,committed andto costlyprotecting problemthe tosafety Illinoisof families,motorists ouron State'sits healthroads careand system,highways and theto economy;protecting taxpayers' investment in our highway infrastructure;

and WHEREAS, InAll 2013,vehicle therecrashes wereare 10,397a crashesserious, involvingdeadly, tractor-trailersand incostly Illinois;problem to Illinois families, our State's health care system, and the economy;

and WHEREAS, The Illinois trucking industry employs 278,920 men and women in Illinois;

it is responsible for delivering food to our grocery stores, supplying medicine and medical supplies to serve our healthcare system, and transporting 78% of the total manufactured freight in Illinois;

and WHEREAS, In 2013, there were 10,397 crashes involving tractor-trailers out of 285,477 total crashes in Illinois;

and 09900SR0233 Enrolled -2- LRB099 11495 GRL 32630 r WHEREAS, Annual truck crash fatalities nationwide are equivalent to a major airplane crash every other week of the year;

and WHEREAS, In fatal 2-vehicle crashes between a large truck and a passenger motor vehicle, 96% of the fatalities were SR0233 -2- LRB099 11495 GRL 32630 r occupants of the passenger vehicle;

Illinois has the thirdthird-largest largest interstate system in the United States and the thirdthird-largest largest bridge inventory in the United States, and more than 7,200 trucking establishments within Illinois use the extensive network of highways;

increasing the weight of a heavy truck by only l0% increases 09900SR0233 Enrolled -3- LRB099 11495 GRL 32630 r bridge damage by 33%;

therefore, be it SR0233 -3- LRB099 11495 GRL 32630 r RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-NINTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we oppose an increase in current truck size and weight limits on all roads in the State of Illinois in order to ensure the safety of all Illinois motorists on our streets and highways;

and be it further RESOLVED, That we affirm our opposition to removing or weakening the federal freeze on Longer Combination Vehicles contained in the Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act of 1991, which restricts the use of extra-long double and triple trailerstrailer trucks on Illinois highways because of the adverse impact on highway safety and infrastructure;

and be it further RESOLVED, That suitable copies of this resolution be delivered to the President and Vice President of the United States, the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, the Majority Leader of the United States Senate, and the members of the Illinois congressional 09900SR0233 Enrolled -4- LRB099 11495 GRL 32630 r delegation.