Authorities in Houston, Texas, are contemplating a potential prohibition on large trucks navigating through smaller city streets to mitigate the occurrence of accidents.
On November 8, Houston’s city transportation committee deliberated on the proposed “Citywide Truck Route Plan,” which seeks to impose restrictions on the movement of hefty trucks across various city zones, according to information from KHOU.
Under the proposed plan, trucks with more than three axles or weighing in excess of 26,000 pounds would be affected, leading to the establishment of three distinct roadway categories: “through truck routes,” “local truck routes,” and “no through truck streets.”
Truckers found traversing unauthorized routes could face citations, although exceptions would be made for trucks engaged in deliveries and school buses.
The Houston City Council is scheduled to vote on the plan’s advancement later this month.
If approved, city officials are tentatively planning a pilot program in the Settegast neighborhood during spring 2024.
In an effort to ensure the efficacy of the plan, authorities intend to collaborate with GPS providers to integrate the truck route information into their systems.
This initiative, known as the Citywide Truck Route Plan, aligns with a broader traffic safety campaign called Vision Zero, which aims to eliminate traffic fatalities and deaths by 2030.
