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from the Interstates and from competing freight transpoiration modes. Putting more trucks on state roads <br />will exacerbate safety and infrastructure costs, lead to greater highway congestion, accelerate fuel use and <br />pollution, and require that more taxpayer dollars be spent on highway re-construction. <br />Bigger Trucks are Expensive and Increase Burdens on Average Taxpayers <br />• Damage to roads and bridges caused by bigger trucks is not covered by the taxes that they pay. A recent <br />Federal study concluded: "When LCVs and other heavy trucks do not pay the full costs of their operations, <br />other motorists must make up the difference. This is inequitable to [those] who must subsidize LCV <br />operat'ions." (Western Uniformity Scenario Analysis. USDOT, p. XI-1, April 2004) <br />• According to US�OT, trucks operating at the current 80,000-pound limit pay only 80% of the damage they <br />do. Long, heavy double-trailer trucks and 90,000-pound single-trailer trucks pay only about 60% of their <br />costs on average. A 100,000-pound, six-axle single-trailer truck pays just 40% Of ItS COStS. (Highway Cost <br />Allocation Study, USDOT, 2000) <br />• A 2001 study by the Minnesota County Engineer's Association concluded that there is a$144 million annual <br />shortfall to simply preserve the county state-aid road system. There is a$64 million shortfall in county funds <br />available to maintaining the county road system. Meeting this current need would require an additional 18¢ <br />gas tax. Allowing longer and heavier trucks on Minnesota roads would add even more cost. <br />I■ 51 at�s qi:o � <br />o sn¢rr�r <br />o �pn�$r <br />■ NGi E urt <br />Most Minnesotans Do Not Want Bigger Trucks <br />• A September 2004 state-wide poll found that 77% of likely voters oppose allowing heavier trucks and 76% <br />oppose allowing longer trucks on Minnesota roads. <br />t This may explain why MNDOT scheduled public hearings for the last week in August with only 2 weeks <br />notice — perfect timing to ensure that most of the public was left out of the process. <br />