A heavy truck tire tread, comprising: a longitudinal direction, a lateral direction, and a thickness direction, wherein the tread is a directional tread and has a rolling direction that is in the longitudinal direction; a circumferential sipe that extends in the longitudinal direction completely around the tread, wherein the circumferential sipe does not bound a sacrificial rib (66; 68); a plurality of micro sipes in a rib (26, 70) defined by two circumferential grooves (28, 30) that engage the circumferential sipe and are located on opposite sides of the circumferential sipe in the lateral direction, wherein the micro sipes extend from the circumferential sipe so as to terminate within rubber of the tread at a terminal end, characterized in that the plurality of micro sipes include a first linear micro sipe that extends from the circumferential sipe at a non-zero angle to the lateral direction so as to have a component of extension in the longitudinal direction opposite to that of the rolling direction, wherein the plurality of micro sipes includes a second linear micro sipe that extends from the circumferential sipe at a non-zero angle to the lateral direction so as to have a component of extension in the longitudinal direction opposite to that of the rolling direction, wherein the first and second micro sipes are both blind and both engage the circumferential sipe at a common location in the longitudinal direction, the length of extension of the micro sipes in the lateral direction is from 2 millimeters to 10 millimeters, more preferably from 4 to 6 millimeters, the micro sipe widths are from 0.1 to 2.0 millimeters, and preferably from 0.4 millimeters to 0.6 millimeters. a longitudinal direction, a lateral direction, and a thickness direction, wherein the tread is a directional tread and has a rolling direction that is in the longitudinal direction; a circumferential sipe that extends in the longitudinal direction completely around the tread, wherein the circumferential sipe does not bound a sacrificial rib (66; 68); a plurality of micro sipes in a rib (26, 70) defined by two circumferential grooves (28, 30) that engage the circumferential sipe and are located on opposite sides of the circumferential sipe in the lateral direction, wherein the micro sipes extend from the circumferential sipe so as to terminate within rubber of the tread at a terminal end, characterized in that the plurality of micro sipes include a first linear micro sipe that extends from the circumferential sipe at a non-zero angle to the lateral direction so as to have a component of extension in the longitudinal direction opposite to that of the rolling direction, wherein the plurality of micro sipes includes a second linear micro sipe that extends from the circumferential sipe at a non-zero angle to the lateral direction so as to have a component of extension in the longitudinal direction opposite to that of the rolling direction, wherein the first and second micro sipes are both blind and both engage the circumferential sipe at a common location in the longitudinal direction, the length of extension of the micro sipes in the lateral direction is from 2 millimeters to 10 millimeters, more preferably from 4 to 6 millimeters, the micro sipe widths are from 0.1 to 2.0 millimeters, and preferably from 0.4 millimeters to 0.6 millimeters.