By Truan S.C.R. No. 24 75R1646 EFD-D CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 1-1 WHEREAS, The United States and Mexico have always enjoyed a 1-2 brisk trade relationship, and the amount of trade between the two 1-3 countries is expected to reach unprecedented levels under the North 1-4 American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA); and 1-5 WHEREAS, Of the total overland trade that currently flows 1-6 between the United States and Mexico, 80 percent of the commodities 1-7 are transported through Texas, primarily on trucks; and 1-8 WHEREAS, Mexican standards for trucks authorize higher 1-9 maximum load limits and greater lengths than those allowed under 1-10 current Texas law; and 1-11 WHEREAS, Texas' existing highway and bridge infrastructure is 1-12 insufficient to handle heavier and longer trucks, and an increase 1-13 in the number of overweight trucks travelling in Texas would cause 1-14 a rapid escalation of damage to roads, rail crossings, and bridges, 1-15 creating an increased safety risk for all Texas motorists; and 1-16 WHEREAS, The federal government and the NAFTA Land 1-17 Transportation Subcommittee are considering whether to authorize an 1-18 increase in the weight and length of motor carriers in the United 1-19 States under the transportation harmonization provisions of NAFTA; 1-20 and 1-21 WHEREAS, Federal and state funding is insufficient to provide 1-22 for the construction and higher level of maintenance needed for 1-23 roadways to safely handle heavier and longer trucks; now, 1-24 therefore, be it 2-1 RESOLVED, That the 75th Legislature of the State of Texas 2-2 hereby direct the Texas Department of Transportation to monitor 2-3 national-level discussions addressing truck weight and length 2-4 standards adopted pursuant to NAFTA; and, be it further 2-5 RESOLVED, That the Texas Department of Transportation should 2-6 resist current efforts to influence the NAFTA Land Transportation 2-7 Subcommittee to permit overweight trucks and multiple trailers on 2-8 U.S. highways, and that Texas' current standards should be honored 2-9 and continued in order to protect the safety of our state's 2-10 citizens and the integrity of the public investment in highway and 2-11 bridge infrastructure; and, be it further 2-12 RESOLVED, That the secretary of state forward an official 2-13 copy of this resolution to the executive director of the Texas 2-14 Department of Transportation.