Roma Gets $200 Truck Permits, Once Federal Designation Ends

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90R62 CXP-F

By: Guillen
H.B. No. 245

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to an optional procedure for the issuance of a permit by

the City of Roma for the movement of oversize or overweight vehicles

carrying cargo in Starr County; authorizing a fee.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

SECTION 1. Chapter 623, Transportation Code, is amended by

adding Subchapter W to read as follows:

SUBCHAPTER W. STARR COUNTY PERMITS

Sec. 623.451. OPTIONAL PROCEDURE. This subchapter provides

an optional procedure for the issuance of a permit by the City of

Roma for the movement of oversize or overweight vehicles carrying

cargo on certain roadways located in Starr County.

Sec. 623.452. ISSUANCE OF PERMITS. The commission may

authorize the City of Roma to issue permits for the movement of

oversize or overweight vehicles carrying cargo in Starr County on

the following roadways:

(1) Farm-to-Market Road 650 between its intersection

with River Road in Fronton and its intersection with U.S. Highway

83 in the city of Roma;

(2) U.S. Highway 83 between its intersection with

Farm-to-Market Road 650 and its intersection with Mendez Avenue in

the city of Roma;

(3) Bravo Boulevard in the city of Roma between its

easternmost intersection with U.S. Highway 83 and the Roma-Ciudad

Miguel Aleman International Bridge;

(4) Franklin Avenue in the city of Roma between the

Roma-Ciudad Miguel Aleman International Bridge and its easternmost

intersection with U.S. Highway 83; and

(5) Mendez Avenue in the city of Roma between the

Roma-Ciudad Miguel Aleman International Bridge and its easternmost

intersection with U.S. Highway 83.

Sec. 623.453. SURETY BOND. The commission may require the

City of Roma to execute, at its own expense, a surety bond payable

to the Texas Department of Transportation in an amount of not less

than $500,000 for costs of maintenance for the roadways described

by Section 623.452.

Sec. 623.454. PERMIT FEES. (a) The City of Roma may

collect a fee for permits issued under this subchapter. Except as

otherwise provided by this subsection, the maximum amount of the

fee may not exceed $200 per trip. On September 1 of each year, the

city may adjust the maximum fee amount as necessary to reflect the

percentage change during the preceding year in the Consumer Price

Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U), U.S. City Average, published

monthly by the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics or its

successor in function.

(b) Fees collected under Subsection (a) may be used only for

the operation and maintenance of the roadways described by or

designated under Section 623.452 and for the City of Roma's

administrative costs, which may not exceed 15 percent of the fees

collected.

(c) The distribution of the fees collected under Subsection

(a) less the City of Roma's administrative costs must be

distributed between the state and the city based on lane mile

calculations between on and off system roadways subject to this

subchapter. Lane mile calculations must be adjusted on a biannual

basis.

(d) The City of Roma shall send the state's portion of the

fees collected under Subsection (a) to the comptroller for deposit

to the credit of the state highway fund. Fees deposited in the

state highway fund under this section are exempt from the

application of Section 403.095, Government Code.

Sec. 623.455. PERMIT REQUIREMENTS. (a) A permit issued

under this subchapter must include:

(1) the name of the applicant;

(2) the date of issuance;

(3) the signature of the designated agent for the City

of Roma;

(4) a statement of the kind of cargo being

transported, the maximum weight and dimensions of the equipment,

and the kind and weight of each commodity to be transported;

(5) a statement:

(A) that the gross weight of the vehicle for

which a permit is issued may not exceed 125,000 pounds; and

(B) of any other condition on which the permit is

issued;

(6) a statement that the cargo may be transported in

Starr County only over the roadways described by or designated

under Section 623.452;

(7) a statement that the permit does not authorize the

transportation of the cargo on an interstate highway; and

(8) the location where the cargo was loaded.

(b) The City of Roma shall report to the Texas Department of

Transportation all permits issued under this subchapter.

Sec. 623.456. CERTAIN VEHICLES INELIGIBLE FOR PERMIT. The

City of Roma may not issue a permit under this subchapter for an

overweight vehicle with at least three axles that is transporting

in a cargo tank hazardous materials in a quantity requiring

placarding by a regulation issued under the Hazardous Materials

Transportation Act (Pub. L. No. 93-633).

Sec. 623.457. TIME OF MOVEMENT. A permit issued under this

subchapter must specify the time during which movement authorized

by the permit is allowed.

Sec. 623.458. SPEED LIMIT. Movement authorized by a permit

issued under this subchapter may not exceed the posted speed limit

or 55 miles per hour, whichever is less. A violation of this

provision constitutes a moving violation.

Sec. 623.459. ENFORCEMENT. The Department of Public Safety

has authority to enforce this subchapter.

Sec. 623.460. PAVEMENT MANAGEMENT PLAN. The Texas

Department of Transportation shall create a pavement management

plan for the roadways described by Section 623.452.

Sec. 623.461. RULES. The commission may adopt rules

necessary to implement this subchapter.

SECTION 2. Notwithstanding Section 623.452, Transportation

Code, as added by this Act, the Texas Transportation Commission may

authorize the City of Roma to issue permits under Subchapter W,

Chapter 623, Transportation Code, as added by this Act, only

following:

(1) the termination of the designation of the

applicable portion of U.S. Highway 83 in Starr County as part of the

federal Strategic Highway Network; or

(2) the authorization of the operation of overweight

vehicles on:

(A) the federal Strategic Highway Network; or

(B) the applicable portion of U.S. Highway 83 in

Starr County.

SECTION 3. The City of Roma may adjust the maximum fee

amount as provided by Section 623.454, Transportation Code, as

added by this Act, beginning September 1, 2028.

SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2027.