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This report documents the economic impact of heavy truck traffic related to energy development on the nation’s roads and bridges. Strategies used by transportation agencies to minimize and pay for the damage caused by heavy loads are also documented. Information used in this study was acquired through a review of the literature, a survey of state transportation agencies, and interviews with selected federal and tribal agencies. Follow-up interviews with multiple agencies in five states selected for further study provided additional information. Chapter 1 provides an introduction to the report. Chapter 2 presents a literature review of energy development activities in the United States, highlighting energy development industries in the U.S., costs and revenue sources for public agencies, impacts on public roads and bridges as a result of energy development, strategies used by federal agencies and states, practices reported by federal agencies, and practices reported by tribal nations. Chapter 3 summarizes a survey on energy development impact on state and local roads and bridges, highlighting impact on infrastructure, engineering tools and design standards, economic impacts of energy development on roads and bridges, tools used to assess costs, impacts on roadway safety and operations, and defining the challenges to agencies. Chapter 4 presents case examples of state and local practices used to address energy development impacts in Colorado, Iowa, North Dakota, Pennsylvania and Texas. Chapter 5 presents a conclusion and identifies knowledge gaps. |