Crosstown Traffic

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Crosstown Traffic is all about getting around in the Triangle. Bad drivers and traffic hassles. Gas taxes and transportation politics. Public transit and other auto alternatives.

The blog is maintained by N&O transportation reporter Bruce Siceloff, whose Road Worrier column is published each Tuesday.

This traffic is two-way. What do you think? Leave a comment or email Bruce with questions, links, tips or gripes.

Congressional testimony: 53-foot trucks will increase NC road risks

Submitted by BruceSiceloff on 07/09/2008 - 10:09

Legislation to allow longer trucks on state highways will boost the risk of truck crashes, deaths and injuries and cause more damage to North Carolina’s roads and bridges, a national safety advocate says.

The warning comes in testimony prepared for delivery today in Washington at a congressional hearing on the effects of laws that regulate truck lengths and weights.

The state House is considering a bill that won unanimous Senate approval to allow trucks with 53-foot-long semi-trailers on about 90 percent of the state’s highways. The state now limits trailer lengths to 48 feet except on interstates and other major multi-lane highways.

Gerald A. Donaldson of Washington-based Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety cited projections from an N.C. State University study that the longer trucks would make crashes more likely on the state’s extensive network of narrow, two-lane roads.

He said other studies and an investigative series in The News & Observer have shown that big trucks are speeding up the deterioration of the state’s roads and bridges. The state has not taken action to speed highway and bridge improvements, Donaldson said.

“Along with an apparent disregard of the adverse safety and infrastructure impacts of allowing more longer trucks on more North Carolina highways — trucks that will be heavier as well — North Carolina legislators are acting as if nothing is wrong with the state’s roads and bridges and that deferring infrastructure repairs will have little effect on the state,” said Donaldson, senior research director for Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety, a non-profit coalition of safety advocates and insurance industry groups, in testimony prepared for a hearing by the Highways and Transit Subcommittee of the U.S. House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee.

Donaldson displayed photos from the NCSU study that showed long tractor-trailers veering off the pavement and forcing oncoming vehicles off North Carolina highways because they could not safely navigate narrow, curving mountain roads.

The state Senate bill promoting 53-foot trailers also would allow recreational fishermen and others to haul wider boats on narrow state roads at night, and would allow heavier cotton and timber trucks on some roads.

The state House Finance Committee is expected to consider several safety amendments when it takes up the Senate bill at a meeting Thursday.

Comments

Trucks

Thu, 07/10/2008 - 09:46 — Ron Johnson (not verified)

Longer trucks equal more accidents on back roads SEE THIS PAGE http://www.tailofthedragon.com/dragon_trucks.html

Thank you. Thank you for posting your link

Thu, 07/10/2008 - 15:42 — deliverer

This country will definitely go down the drain if our brain allows the lengthening of tractor trailers, because if we'll do that ...God please help us on more pressing matters. We'll certainly inflict ourselves some serious injury.

Larger Trailers...Smaller Brains

Thu, 07/10/2008 - 05:11 — deliverer

The future seems to be getter tougher for us all. The trucking companies are caught between a rock and a hard place.
It looks like the most sensible answer is to pay higher prices for our goods so that the trucking companies can stay in business. I am not or ever will be in favor of increasing the size of the trailers. That would be insane and inhumane, pure and simple.
Safety is priceless! I'll pay $2 more for a steak delivered to my grocery store if that is what it takes. I don't want to ever have to pay for flowers for a lost loved one who died because of an outrageously huge tractor trailer.

Trucks

Wed, 07/09/2008 - 19:23 — Ron Johnson (not verified)

These photos taken in western NC and easter TN say it all. http://www.tailofthedragon.com/dragon_trucks.html

53 foot trucks

Wed, 07/09/2008 - 16:02 — Anonymous (not verified)

It is hard to imagine our leaders promoting larger trucks on our highways just when more and more drivers are being forced to drive smaller cars because of the price of gasoline.

Big Trucks

Wed, 07/09/2008 - 15:23 — Anonymous (not verified)

It is evident that Senator Clark Jenkins gets his campaign contributions from the trucking industry, the boating industry, the logging industry and the farming industry. Don't forget that Senator Jenkins sponsored a bill to allow heavier trucks for the NC Homebuilders Association a couple of years back. Thankfully the N&O was able to bring this issue to the public and the bill was tabled. Senator Jenkins apparently has problems with conflicts of interest in regard to this latest bill, specifically the part which regulates the transport of wider boats, he failed to mention to his colleagues that he owns a Marina on North Carolinas coast. When will the legislators learn that safety should be paramount and that they should put the people they serve first and not that of special interest. I have done some research and I think that it noteworthy that the overweight fine schedule has not been increased since 1977. I wonder if Senator Jenkins thinks of this when the larger and heavier trucks that he and his fellow legislators allow on the roads no doubt will be doing more damage on our highways? He probably could care less. Take note Legislators: People are going to die needlessly on our highways because of this bill, hopefully it won't be my family....or yours......

Mexican NAFTA trucks on the way.

Wed, 07/09/2008 - 15:22 — Anonymous (not verified)

Wait'll the NAFTA trucks show up. The trade deal says that we have to let Mexican trucks driven by street legal 18 year old drivers go anywhere in the U.S. or Canada. Guess what Tarheels? You're gonna be competing with them for return loads heading for the border. So much for the "jobs". McCain is all for maintaining and enhancing NAFTA. Sellout phony.

This would reduce greenhouse

Wed, 07/09/2008 - 15:18 — Anonymous (not verified)

This would reduce greenhouse gas emmissions

Longer / Larger

Wed, 07/09/2008 - 15:18 — ericlmd

I have mixed emotions about this legislation. On one hand I believe that larger trucks will help maintain (or hopefully lower) the cost of goods to market. On the other, I have driven A LOT of NC's back roads and I most certainly would not want to encounter a current sized semi on them let alone a larger, longer one that may be harder to manage on some of these narrower roads. I believe a compromise would be that they would only be allowed to travel on 'interstate' roads, or roads that have a minimum width per lane and adequate shoulders. Most distributions points should be accessible by more improved roads and goods disbursed to the 'far reaches' could be delivered by panel truck or local haulers w/ smaller vehicles.

Longer / Larger

Wed, 07/09/2008 - 15:32 — kwalend

The 'compromise' ericlmd suggests is current regulation.

Longer trucks= cheaper cost=

Wed, 07/09/2008 - 14:34 — Anonymous (not verified)

Longer trucks= cheaper cost= cheaper food on my table. Makes sense to me with energy cost so high might as well do something for the consumer since 75% of our goods are shippped that way. Trucks prefer to stay on interstates and there's just not that many who venture down two lane roads anymore. What's the problem?

Large Trucks

Wed, 07/09/2008 - 13:11 — Anonymous (not verified)

Of course that want to let BIGGER trucks on the road. This is North Carolina, IF IT'S GOOD FOR THE TRUCKING COMPANIES, that is all that matters. THEY DON'T CARE ABOUT THE PEOPLE.

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