AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT

 

The Overweight Corridor Program at the Texas Department of Transportation provides optional routes for certain port authorities for the movement of oversized or overweight vehicles carrying cargo on certain state highways. Interested parties assert that by allowing shippers to load containers to their maximum carrying weight, the program reduces transportation costs, the number of trucks on the road, and vehicle emissions, in addition to making local roads safer for citizens, visitors, and businesses by diverting larger trucks to more appropriate roadways.

 

H.B. 1321 amends the Transportation Code to require the Texas Transportation Commission, for a permit for the movement of oversize or overweight vehicles on specified roads issued by a port authority located in a county that is adjacent to at least two counties with a population of 550,000 or more, and with the port authority's consent, to designate the most direct routes from ports for trucks transporting cargo.

 

H.B. 1321 authorizes overweight corridors between from the intersection of North Velasco Boulevard and South Avenue J in the city of Freeport to the entrance of Port Freeport using North Velasco Boulevard and Farm-to-Market Road 1495 and to designate the most direct route from 21441 Loop 419 in the city of Sweeny to the entrance of Port Freeport using Loop 419, State Highways 35 and 36, and Farm-to-Market Road 1495.

 

H.B. 1321 authorizes overweight corridors between the free trade International Bridge in Los Indios to The Port of Harlingen east and west entrance, Harlingen Industrial Park, and Harlingen Aerotropolis at Valley International Airport.

 

H.B. 1321 seeks to expand the benefits of the Overweight Corridor Program.

 

H.B. 1321 amends current law relating to route designation for the issuance of a permit for the movement of oversize and overweight vehicles in certain counties.

 

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

 

This bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, institution, or agency.

 

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

 

SECTION 1. Amends Sections 623.219(a) and (b), Transportation Code, as follows:

 

(a) Requires the Texas Transportation Commission (TTC), for a permit issued by a port authority located in a county that borders the United Mexican States, to, with the consent of the port authority, designate the most direct route from:

 

(1) the Gateway International Bridge or the Veterans International Bridge at Los Tomates to the entrance of the Port of Brownsville using State Highways 48 and 4 or United States Highways 77 and 83 or using United States Highway 77 and United States Highway 83, East Loop Corridor, and State Highway 4; and

 

(2) the Free Trade International Bridge to:

 

(A) Creates this paragraph from existing text;

 

(B) the eastern entrance of the Port of Harlingen using Farm-to-Market Road 509, United States Highway 77 Business, and Farm-to-Market Road 1846;

 

(C) the western entrance of the Port of Harlingen using Farm-to-Market Roads 509 and 106;

 

(D) the southern entrance of the Harlingen Industrial Park using Farm-to-Market Road 509; and

 

(E) the southern entrance of the Harlingen Aerotropolis at Valley International Airport using Farm-to-Market Road 509.

 

(b) Requires TTC, for a permit issued by a port authority located in a county that is adjacent to at least two counties with a population of 550,000 or more, to, with the consent of the port authority, designate the most direct route from:

 

(1) Makes no change to this subdivision;

 

(2) Makes a nonsubstantive change;

 

(3) the intersection of State Highway 288 and Chlorine Road to the entrance of Port Freeport using State Highways 288 and 332 and Farm-to-Market Roads 523 and 1495;

 

(4) the intersection of North Velasco Boulevard and South Avenue J in the city of Freeport to the entrance of Port Freeport using North Velasco Boulevard and Farm-to-Market Road 1495; and

 

(5) 21441 Loop 419 in the city of Sweeny to the entrance of Port Freeport using Loop 419, State Highways 35 and 36, and Farm-to-Market Road 1495.

 

SECTION 2. Effective date: September 1, 2015.