States keep pushing for truck-only highway lanes

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DAYTON, Ohio (AP) - Karen Kuhn sometimes finds it difficult to maneuver on interstate highways because there are so many freight trucks. "It can get a little tense when you're hemmed in on three sides by these truckers," said Kuhn, 60, of Fairfield, Ohio. "I'm trying to get into the fast lane, and they're trying to get into the right lane, and it's a stalemate." She's among a growing number of people who support the idea of truck-only lanes on interstate expressways, as both truck and passenger traffic increase. At least nine states throughout the industrial Midwest and in the booming Sun Belt are considering proposals to separate big rigs from cars on stretches of interstates, hoping to reduce congestion, improve safety and increase commerce by moving goods faster Indiana, Ohio, Illinois and Missouri are suggesting a truck-only lane on a 789-mile stretch of Interstate 70. The I-70 corridor rolls through or by Kansas City, St. Louis, Indianapolis and Columbus and is within 25 miles of six major international airports and air-cargo hubs. The highway teems with trucks because of the high concentration of manufacturing, retail and other industries nearby - and much of the I-70 corridor is expected to reach or exceed capacity by 2030. Georgia is considering truck-only lanes on a 27-mile stretch of Interstate 75 northwest of Atlanta and a 20-mile stretch of Interstate 285 that skirts the city. Truck congestion in the area is expected to increase by up to 60 percent in the next 20 years. "This is such a through point for trucks. We've got to do something," said David Spear, spokesman for the Georgia Department of Transportation. States aren't yet sure how they would pay for the special lanes. Tolls are one option; public-private partnerships another. But some truckers question the wisdom of designated lanes and many oppose having to pay tolls for special lanes without being given the option of using non-toll routes. Trucker Earl Sylvain, 71, of the Dayton suburb of Huber Heights, said if trucks were required to stay in one lane, slower trucks with heavier loads would hold the others up. "You still would have the same congestion," he said. "You've got just as many trucks out here." Dan Middleton, program manager with the Texas Transportation Institute at Texas A&M, who is conducting a study on truck lanes, said they are a good idea for improving traffic flow, but truckers would want two lanes or some way to pass slower trucks. At a glance TRUCK TENSION: Several states are proposing to separate large trucks from smaller vehicles on highways by creating truck-only lanes. WHY?: Reduce congestion, boost commerce and enhance safety. RESPONSE: Some truckers question whether it will work. Many oppose having to pay tolls for special lanes without being given the option of using non-toll routes. STATUS: U.S. Department of Transportation and congressionally appointed commission are considering the idea.