After Pigeon Waste, overloaded trucks are blamed for bridge collapse

　　Recently, The Associated Press of U.S. gave a report claiming that overweight trucks damage infrastructures. They said that “more than a half-million overweight trucks are allowed onto the nation's roads and bridges -- an increasingly routine practice that some officials say is putting dangerous wear and tear on an already groaning infrastructure.”

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　A truck is passing a bridge

　　In interviews with The Associated Press, some experts warned that overloaded trucks can weaken steel and concrete, something that investigators say may have contributed to the Minneapolis bridge collapse Aug. 1 that killed 13 people. The report says the weight limit for nearly all interstate highways in America is 40 tons. According to a government study, one 40-ton truck does as much damage to the road as 9,600 cars. Engineers liken the effect of heavy trucks on a bridge to bending a paper clip: It can bend again and again without breaking, but eventually it will snap.

　　 Many states in U.S. charge fees ranging from $12 to $1,000 for overweight-load permits, depending on the weight of the load. In theory, those fees are supposed to offset the damage done to the highways. However, these fees are even not enough to cover the wear and tear on our roads and bridges.

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