S. 4701Senate116th Congress (2019-2021)In Committee

Ports-to-Plains Highway Act of 2020

AI-Generated Summary

Updated April 14, 2026 at 3:09 PM UTC

The Ports-to-Plains Highway Act of 2020 changes the 1991 Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act to add two specific highway segments in the western United States to the list of routes that could become future Interstates. It also lets trucks that were already allowed on those roads keep operating even if the new Interstate designation would normally impose stricter weight limits.

Key Provisions

Adds the segment from Limon, Colorado, to I‑76 near Brush, Colorado, and another segment identified in the law as subsection (c)(38) to the list of future Interstate routes.
Requires the state that controls each new segment to put up appropriate Interstate signage once the segment is officially designated.
Allows vehicles that were legally operating on those segments before they become Interstates to continue operating without being subject to the usual Interstate weight‑limit rules.

Legislative Activity

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1 earlier action

SenateIntro Referral Latest Action

Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.

Environment and Public Works Committee

September 24, 2020

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SenateIntro Referral

Introduced in Senate

September 24, 2020

SenateIntro Referral

Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.

Environment and Public Works Committee

September 24, 2020

Bill Text

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Introduced in SenateIssued September 24, 2020

116th CONGRESS

2d Session

S. 4701

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

September 24, 2020

Mr. Gardner (for himself and Mr. Cornyn) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works

A BILL

To amend the Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act of 1991 with respect to future interstate designations, and for other purposes.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Ports-to-Plains Highway Act of 2020.

Future interstate designation and operation

(a)

Inclusion of certain route segments on interstate system

Section 1105(e)(5) of the Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act of 1991 (Public Law 102–240; 109 Stat. 597; 118 Stat. 293; 129 Stat. 1422; 133 Stat. 3018) is amended—

(1)

in subparagraph (A), in the first sentence—

(A)

by inserting subsection (c)(14)(A)(ii) (relating solely to the portion from Limon to I–76 in the vicinity of Brush), after subsection (c)(13),; and

(B)

by inserting subsection (c)(38), after subsection (c)(37),; and

(2)

in subparagraph (C)(i), by adding at the end the following: A State having jurisdiction over any segment of the routes referred to in subsection (c)(14)(A)(ii) (relating solely to the portion from Limon to I–76 in the vicinity of Brush) or (c)(38) shall erect signs, as appropriate and approved by the Secretary, identifying such segment as a future addition to the Interstate System..

(b)

Vehicle weight limitations

Section 127 of title 23, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following:

(v)

Operation of vehicles on certain Texas, Oklahoma, Colorado, and New Mexico highways

If any segment of the routes referred to in paragraph (14)(A)(ii) (relating solely to the portion from Limon to I–76 in the vicinity of Brush) or paragraph (38) of section 1105(c) of the Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act of 1991 (Public Law 102–240; 105 Stat. 2032; 114 Stat. 2763A–202; 119 Stat. 1210) is designated as a route on the Interstate System, a vehicle that could operate legally on that segment before the date of such designation may continue to operate on that segment, without regard to any requirement under this section.