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2.5.4 Infrastructure Costs on Roads and Bridges Reducing the impact on roads and alleys from multiple trucks is commonly identified as a potential benefit and goal of municipalities interested in changing from open to organized collection. General descriptions of the impacts on roads are cited in many related reports. The term Equivalent Single Axle Load (ESAL) is used to compare the road impact of one type of vehicle to another. An ESAL factor of 1.0 is applied to a truck with 18,000 pounds per axle. A typical passenger car is reported to have an ESAL factor of 0.0007 in some references and 0.0008 in others. A garbage truck can have an ESAL as high as 1.6 or 2,286 cars. However, most references in different reports place the car equivalents for garbage trucks lower, at a range of 857 to 1,429. The Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT) uses a formula providing one garbage truck is equivalent to 1,000 car trips. Exhibit 2-4 was provided in the city of Fort Collins report.29 Exhibit 2-4 Comparison of Trash and Other Vehicle Impacts Vehicle Number ESAL Passenger General Classification AASHTO Classification of Axles Factor Car Equivalents Cars Passenger Cars 2 0.0008 1 Vans/Pickups Other 2-Axle/4-Tire Trucks 2 0.0052 7 Large Pickups/Delivery Vans Panel and Pickup Trucks 3 0.0122 15 Large Delivery Trucks 3 or More Axle Trucks 3 0.1303 163 Local Delivery Trucks 2-Axle/6-Tire Trucks 2 0.1890 236 Residential Recycling Trucks 2 0.2190 274 Buses Buses 2 or 3 0.6806 851 Residential Trash Trucks 3 1.0230 1,279 Loniz Haul Semi -Trailers Various Classifications 3-5+ 1.1264 1,408 Trash trucks are one of the heaviest vehicles traveling residential streets. A study by the University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute is cited routinely in several of the reports regarding impact of garbage trucks on roads.30 This report concluded that "Fatigue damage to rigid and flexible pavements is most directly determined by maximum axle loads and pavement thickness." The city of Falcon Heights developed estimates of the percentage of road impacts due to garbage trucks versus typical car traffic in a range of streets with different traffic frequencies. A heavily traveled area with only one garbage truck provided only an estimated 7.79% of impact from a garbage truck. In a "low traffic alley" with five garbage trucks using the alley, the percentage of road impacts attributable to garbage trucks was estimated as high as 85.96%.31 Thus, the most dramatic impact is on those streets and alleys that get the least overall amount of vehicle use. 29 "Trash Services Study Final Report." July 2008. R3 Consulting Group, Inc. Fort Collins, CO. 30 Gillespie, Thomas D. et al. Aug. 1992. "Effects of Heavy Vehicle Characteristics on Pavement Response and Performance: Final Report." University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute. 31 "Organized Collection Study: Final Report." Oct. 2004. City of Falcon Heights, Minnesota. R - Analysis of Waste Collection Service Arrangements.doc Foth Infrastructure & Environment, LLC • 39 June 2009