Wisconsin Republican Reps. Tom Petri and Reid Ribble introduced legislation on Thursday to ensure operating trucks are not precluded from traveling on the new Interstate 41 due to weight restrictions.
Ribble and Petri, both of whom sit on the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, wrote a bill that would grandfather in currently-operating trucks when Highway 41 is designated as part of the Interstate Highway System. Similar provisions have been enacted for previous future-Interstate highway designations, such as I-39 in Wisconsin and I-99 in Pennsylvania.
Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker, state legislators, local communities and business groups have expressed support for the bill.
“Highway 41 is the economic lifeline of the Fox Valley,” Petri said. “All kinds of trucks use Highway 41 to transport timber, scrap materials and agriculture products throughout our state, and these goods and products are often sent across the country using this roadway.”
Under federal law, trucks over 80,000 pounds in gross vehicle weight cannot operate on interstate highways. Many have raised concerns that this federal weight limit would harm the local economy in Wisconsin and pose safety risks for communities because oversized trucks would be forced to use local roadways.
“What we’re saying is simply if you can operate now, you can operate in the future,” Petri said. “We aren’t looking to create any exemptions or change truck size and weight limits, but this is a matter of being fair and realistic.”