LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD
                              Austin, Texas
                                     
                    FISCAL NOTE, 77th Regular Session
  
                            February 22, 2001
  
  
          TO:  Honorable Florence Shapiro, Chair, Senate Committee on
               State Affairs
  
        FROM:  John Keel, Director, Legislative Budget Board
  
       IN RE:  SB492  by Duncan (Relating to load and weight limits on
               certain bridges.), As Introduced
  
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*  No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.        *
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The bill would amend the Transportation Code to restrict vehicles
operating under a special tolerance permit from operating on a bridge for
which a maximum weight and load limit have been established by the Texas
Transportation Commission or a county commissioners court, if the gross
weight of the vehicle and load or the axles and wheel loads are greater
than the established and posted limits.  The bill also allows for this
restriction not to apply if the bridge is along the only public highway
or road that the permitted vehicle can use to travel from its point of
origin to its destination.

The Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) estimates that
implementing the provisions of the bill would result in a $10.9 million
cost savings each year from off-system and on-system bridge repairs that
would not be needed.  TxDOT estimates savings in the amounts of $3
million for on-system bridges, $6.1 million for off-system bridges, and
$1.8 million for preliminary and construction engineering costs each
year.  It is assumed that the savings realized from bridge repair costs
not being incurred would be used for other eligible transportation
related expenditures.  TxDOT also estimates no special tolerance permit
revenue gain or loss to State Highway Fund No. 006 would be realized due
to the implementation of the bill.

The bill would take effect immediately upon a vote of two-thirds of all
the members elected to each house; otherwise, it would take effect
September 1, 2001.
  
Local Government Impact
  
Units of local government would experience a significant cost savings in
repairs to bridges. Savings would be proportional per bridge to the
savings per bridge for the state.  It is estimated that the bill would
not effect revenues generated for counties related to the sale of
special tolerance permits.
  
  
Source Agencies:   601   Texas Department of Transportation
LBB Staff:         JK, RB, MW