Whip Kazarian’s bill banning large commercial trucks from Pleasant Street passes House

 

STATE HOUSE – The House of Representatives passed House Majority Whip Katherine S. Kazarian’s (D-Dist. 63, East Providence, Pawtucket) bill (2023-H 5206) that would ban heavy commercial trucks from traveling on Pleasant Street in Rumford.

“It was only less than a year ago when the Hunts Mill Bridge was closed due to structural deficiencies and now that the bridge has been fixed, we must protect the taxpayers’ investment.  Combine this fact with the obvious concerns of excessive noise, traffic and speeding through a residential neighborhood and it becomes clear that large commercial trucks should not be on this stretch of road,” said Whip Kazarian.

The act would prohibit commercial motor trucks, with a gross weight rating of 26,001 lbs. or more, from traveling on Pleasant Street / Route 114A in East Providence from between Pawtucket Avenue and the Massachusetts state line.

“There are no businesses on this stretch of roadway, only homes, residents and children who wait by the side of the road at their school bus stops every morning.  Heavy industrial trucks quickly passing through the area pose a significant safety risk to these kids while also negatively contributing to the quality of life of this neighborhood. It is for these clear reasons that I introduced this bill,” concluded Whip Kazarian.

The bill now heads to the Senate for consideration.

 

Nine people including a one-year-old are injured after a shooting in Florida last night. Investigators say it happened in Hollywood on the Hollywood Beach Broadwalk after two groups began to argue. One person was detained and another suspect is at large.       The House Rules Committee will meet today about the debt ceiling deal struck by President Biden and House Speaker McCarthy. The full House is expected to vote tomorrow on the bipartisan deal that raises the nation's debt limit for the next two years. It then needs to pass the Democratic-controlled Senate before the June 5th deadline to act or risk default.       Florida Governor Ron DeSantis will hold his first presidential campaign event in a key primary state today. He will visit Des Moines, Iowa later this afternoon. DeSantis is also expected to make stops in New Hampshire and South Carolina this week.       Tesla CEO Elon Musk is in China meeting with government officials. A visit to Tesla's Shanghai plant is also planned. China is Tesla's second-largest market after the U.S., with the Shanghai plant being the electric car maker's largest production hub.       Hollywood's writers strike is nearing the one-month mark, with no signs of a deal being reached. The Writers Guild of America called a strike for the first time in 15 years after negotiations stalled. The Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers, which represents many Hollywood employers, rejected proposals across the board from the WGA regarding residuals from streaming services, safeguards against automation, and higher minimum pay.       The Powerball jackpot is growing to 239-million dollars after no one matched the winning numbers last night. That's just over 121-million if you take the cash option. Meanwhile, there's still time to buy a two-dollar ticket for tonight's Mega Millions drawing with a jackpot of 187-million dollars.