An Act To Improve Safety on Maine's Primary and Secondary Roads, Reduce Road Maintenance Costs and Improve the Environment and the Economy by Allowing Certain Heavy Commercial Vehicles on the Interstate Highway System in Maine
Maine Legislature, Session 124, LD 1736
Committee: Transportation
Sponsors: DAMON, MAZUREK, GOOLEY, MITCHELL, SCHNEIDER, CEBRA, HARLOW, HOGAN, PEOPLES, PIOTTI, TARDY, THERIAULT, THOMAS
Amends: 29-A MRSA §2355-A

Legislative Document 
.. 
No.1736 
S.P.663 
In Senate, January 12,2010 
An Act To Improve Safety on Maine's Primary and Secondary 
Roads, Reduce Road Maintenance Costs and Improve the 
Environment and the Economy by Allowing Certain Heavy 
Commercial Vehicles on the Interstate Highway System in Maine 
(EMERGENCY) 
Reference to the Committee on Transportation suggested and ordered printed .. 
Presented by Senator DAMON of Hancock. (GOVERNOR'S BILL) 
Cosponsored by Representative MAZUREK of Rockland and 
JOY J. O'BRIEN 
Secretary of the Senate 
Senators: GOOLEY of Franklin, President MITCHELL of Kennebec; RA YE of Washington, 
SCHNEIDER of Penobscot, Representatives:. BROWNE of Vassalboro, CEBRA of Naples, 
HARLOW of Portland, HOGAN of Old Orchard Beach, PEOPLES of Westbrook, Speaker 
. PINGREE of North Haven, PIOTTI of Unity, TARDY of Newport, THERIAULT of 
Madawaska, THOMAS of Ripley. 
Printl!tI on recycled paper 
Emergency preamble. Whereas, acts and resolves of the Legislature do not 
become effective until 90 days after adjournment unless enacted as emergencies; and 
Whereas, the United States Congress has enacted and the President of the United 
States has signed legislati6n allowing vehicles up to 100,000 pounds gross vehicle weight 
on all of the Interstate Highway System ill Maine; and 
Whereas, the federal legislation allows these larger vehicles on the Interstate for a 
period of only one year beginning December 16, 2009, the date the President signed the 
legislation; and 
Whereas, the Governor has signed a proclamation allowing celtain heavier vehicles 
to travel on the Interstate until the Legislature acts to confonTI Maine law to the heavier 
allowances in federal law; and 
Whereas, amending the law to allow for heavier vehicles to travel on the Interstate 
Highway System in Maine rather than on local roads promotes the interests of safety, less 
pollution and more cost-effective commercial transpOItation; and 
Whereas, in the judgment of the Legislature, these facts create an emergency within 
the meaning of the Constitution of Maine and require the following legislation as 
immediately necessary for the preservation of the public peace, h.ealth and safety; now, 
therefore, 
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows: 
. 30 
Sec. 1. 29-A MRSA §2355-A is enacted to read: 
§2355-A. Six-axle truck weight pilot project 
Notwithstanding any other provision of this subchapter to the contrary, for as long as 
the provisions Of 23 United States Code, Section 127 Ca) (11) affording an exemption 
from the federal vehicle weight limitations for vehicles operating on all portions of the 
interstate system are in effect, a 6-axle combination vehicle consisting of a 3-axle truck 
tractor with a tri-axle semitrailer having a maximum gross vehicle weight of 100,000 
pounds may, if otherwise in compliance with the requirements of this Title, be operated 
on any portion of the interstate system subject to the provisions of section 2354. 
Special exemptions and .exceptions authorized under this subchapter, including but 
not limited to those providing tolerances or relaxed fines for vehicles carrying special 
commodities or forest· products, and those a{'thorized under sections 2354-A, 2354-C and 
2357 do not apply to vehicles authorized to travel on the interstate system under this 
section. 
For the purposes of this section, "interstate system" has the same meaning as in Title 
23, section 1903, subsection 3. 
Sec. 2. Retroactivity. This Act applies retroactively to Dec~mber 16,2009. 
Page J - 124LR2538(Ol)-1 
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Emergency clause. 
In view of the emergency cited 
the preamble, this 
legislation takes effect when approved. 
SUMMARY 
This bill authorizes 6-axle combination vehicles consisting of 3-axle truck tractors 
with tri-axle semitrailers of up to 100,000 pounds gross vehicle weight to operate on the 
Maine Interstate Highway System, for as long as a federal law exempting the State from 
the 80,000-pound liinit is in effect, if otherwise in compliance with all other requirements 
of the Maine Revised Statutes" Title 29-A. It also specifies that other currently authorized 
exemptions and exceptions do not apply to those vehicles. 
The bill :would apply 
retroactively to December 16, 2009, the effective date of the, federal legislation 
authorizing the exemption from the federal weight limit.