Big Trucks
New law does not automatically limit rigs' speeds and lane usage
PHOENIXThose of you who think that come the middle of July 18-wheeled trucks traveling on Interstate 19 will be limited to 65 mph and stuck in the right-hand traffic lane might want to wait a bit before celebrating that possibility.
Despite what you may have read in the Tucson newspapers or saw in the local television news, last week, H.B. 2256 which was signed into law by Gov. Jane Dee Hull, April 24, does not automatically limit speeds and lane usage.
"The way the bill is written, come the effective date July 18, the speed limit for big trucks is 65 mph," said John Carlson, transportation policy adviser to Gov. Hull.
"However, ADOT can have a higher speed based on engineering studies."
"It gave an out," he added.
Even before the legislation reached the governor's desk, ADOT Director Mary Peters asked her staff to initiate a study of the interstate system with an eye towards making recommendations regarding speed limits for big trucks.
There are about 7,000 miles of state highways under ADOT's jurisdiction with about 1,200 miles of that made up of interstate highways.
"ADOT had just studied all of those interstate miles because they had to justify going from 55-75 mph," Carlson said.
"They knew they could go back and start those studies to see what the impact would be of having the heavy trucks go down to 65 mph in all of the places where it is currently 75 mph.
"Come July 18, I think ADOT will have a really good idea of where they will go down to 65 and where they will maintain the existing speed limit," he suggested.
Thus, it is conceivable that the speed limit for trucks on I-19 between Tucson and Green Valley and Green Valley and Nogales could remain at 75 mph for the segments already posted for that speed.
"Right, for safety reasons," Carlson acknowledged.
Carlson pointed out that from an historical perspective, ADOT has opposed legislation that created a differential of 20 mph between trucks and passenger vehicles.
"There have been national studies that say that's unsafe," he said. "There are some states, like Idaho, that do have a differential speed of 10 mph."
"Studies have not said that was unsafe," Carlson said. "More research needs to be done on it."
It would appeared that the issue of lane restrictions has cause even more concern than speed.
"In terms of lane restrictions, the Tucson paper was totally wrong," he said. "I don't know why they wrote it the way that they did."
"The bill said that if ADOT or local government does a study and it shows that there is some improvements to safety by doing lane restrictions then they have the authority to do it."
"It doesn't even require ADOT to study it," Carlson suggested.
Carlson said truckers he's heard from are more concerned about lane usage than the speed.
"I've been inundated with phone calls from truckers," he said.
They wanted to know if they would have to stay to the right as newspaper and wire service stories have said.
"I faxed a copy of the law to the Arizona Daily Star, but I guess they chose not to read it," Carlson said.
Before sending the legislation to Hull, the Arizona House of Representatives voted 48-8 to approve it with Rep. Bill McGibbon, R-Green Valley, in favor and Rep. Lou-Ann Preble, R- Tucson, opposed.
The Arizona Senate approved the legislation 28-0 with Sen. Keith Bee, R-Tucson, in favor of the bill.
Despite what you may have read in the Tucson newspapers or saw in the local television news, last week, H.B. 2256 which was signed into law by Gov. Jane Dee Hull, April 24, does not automatically limit speeds and lane usage.
"The way the bill is written, come the effective date July 18, the speed limit for big trucks is 65 mph," said John Carlson, transportation policy adviser to Gov. Hull.
"However, ADOT can have a higher speed based on engineering studies."
"It gave an out," he added.
Even before the legislation reached the governor's desk, ADOT Director Mary Peters asked her staff to initiate a study of the interstate system with an eye towards making recommendations regarding speed limits for big trucks.
There are about 7,000 miles of state highways under ADOT's jurisdiction with about 1,200 miles of that made up of interstate highways.
"ADOT had just studied all of those interstate miles because they had to justify going from 55-75 mph," Carlson said.
"They knew they could go back and start those studies to see what the impact would be of having the heavy trucks go down to 65 mph in all of the places where it is currently 75 mph.
"Come July 18, I think ADOT will have a really good idea of where they will go down to 65 and where they will maintain the existing speed limit," he suggested.
Thus, it is conceivable that the speed limit for trucks on I-19 between Tucson and Green Valley and Green Valley and Nogales could remain at 75 mph for the segments already posted for that speed.
"Right, for safety reasons," Carlson acknowledged.
Carlson pointed out that from an historical perspective, ADOT has opposed legislation that created a differential of 20 mph between trucks and passenger vehicles.
"There have been national studies that say that's unsafe," he said. "There are some states, like Idaho, that do have a differential speed of 10 mph."
"Studies have not said that was unsafe," Carlson said. "More research needs to be done on it."
It would appeared that the issue of lane restrictions has cause even more concern than speed.
"In terms of lane restrictions, the Tucson paper was totally wrong," he said. "I don't know why they wrote it the way that they did."
"The bill said that if ADOT or local government does a study and it shows that there is some improvements to safety by doing lane restrictions then they have the authority to do it."
"It doesn't even require ADOT to study it," Carlson suggested.
Carlson said truckers he's heard from are more concerned about lane usage than the speed.
"I've been inundated with phone calls from truckers," he said.
They wanted to know if they would have to stay to the right as newspaper and wire service stories have said.
"I faxed a copy of the law to the Arizona Daily Star, but I guess they chose not to read it," Carlson said.
Before sending the legislation to Hull, the Arizona House of Representatives voted 48-8 to approve it with Rep. Bill McGibbon, R-Green Valley, in favor and Rep. Lou-Ann Preble, R- Tucson, opposed.
The Arizona Senate approved the legislation 28-0 with Sen. Keith Bee, R-Tucson, in favor of the bill.
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