An Act To Allow for the Equalization of Truck Weights between Maine and Canada for Limited Use at the Border Crossings
Maine Legislature, Session 126, LD 1076
Committee: Transportation
Sponsors: WILLETTE
Amends: 29-A MRSA §2354-C

Legislative Document 
No. 1076 
H.P. 769 
House of Representatives, March 19, 2013 
An Act To Allow for the Equalization of Truck Weights between 
Maine and Canada for Limited Use at the Border Crossings 
Reference to the Committee on Transportation suggested and ordered printed. 
MILLICENT M. MacFARLAND 
Clerk 
Presented by Representative WILLETTE of Mapleton. 
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows: 
Sec. 1.  29-A MRSA §2354-C, sub-§1, as amended by PL 2011, c. 356, §22, is 
further amended to read: 
1.  Canadian gross vehicle weight limits.  Notwithstanding section 2354, the 
Commissioner of Transportation, in consultation with the Department of Public Safety 
and the Department of the Secretary of State, is authorized to allow certain commercial 
vehicles at Canadian gross vehicle weight limits to travel from the United States-Canada 
border at Calais to Baileyville, from the United States-Canada border at Madawaska to a 
paper mill at Madawaska and, from the United States-Canada border at Van Buren to a 
rail yard in Van Buren and to a value-added wood processing facility in Limestone, from 
the United States-Canada border at Limestone to a value-added wood processing facility 
in Limestone, from the United States-Canada border in Fort Fairfield to a value-added 
wood processing facility in Limestone and the from the United States-Canada border at 
Calais to the port of Eastport.  Vehicles are allowed to travel from the United States-
Canada border under the following conditions. 
A.  The only allowable routes of travel are from the United States-Canada border in 
Calais north on U.S. Route 1 to Access Road in Baileyville, east on Access Road to 
Domtar Woodland Mill or its successor on Main Street and north on Main Street to 
the Louisiana-Pacific Oriented Strand Board mill or its successor in Baileyville; from 
the United States-Canada border in Madawaska then directly north or south into the 
Fraser Papers facility or its successor in Madawaska or up Bridge Street to Mill Street 
in Madawaska in order to reverse direction; and from the United States-Canada 
border in Van Buren on Bridge Street, west to Main Street, also designated as Route 
1, then north on Main Street approximately 1 1/2 miles from the border. 
A-1.  The only allowable routes of travel are as follows: 
(1)  From the United States-Canada border in Calais north on U.S. Route 1 to 
Access Road in Baileyville, east on Access Road to Domtar Woodland Mill or its 
successor on Main Street and north on Main Street to the Louisiana-Pacific 
Oriented Strand Board mill or its successor in Baileyville; 
(2)  From the United States-Canada border in Madawaska then directly north or 
south into the Fraser Papers facility or its successor in Madawaska or up Bridge 
Street to Mill Street in Madawaska in order to reverse direction; 
(3)  From the United States-Canada border in Van Buren on Bridge Street, west 
to Main Street, also designated as U.S. Route 1, then north on Main Street 
approximately 1 1/2 miles from the border and south on Main Street, also 
designated as U.S. Route 1, then southeast on U.S. Route 1-A, then west on State 
Route 89, then north on Commerce Centre Road, then on the following roads 
immediately surrounding the value-added wood processing facility in Limestone: 
South Carolina Road, New Mexico Road, Snowbarn Road, Washington Road, 
Energy Road, Arizona Road and Colorado Road, approximately 25 miles from 
the border; 
(4)  From the United States-Canada border in Limestone west on Grand Falls 
Road, also designated as State Route 229, north to Van Buren Road, also 
designated as U.S. Route 1-A, then west on Foster Avenue, also designated as 
State Route 89, then north on Commerce Centre Road, then on the following 
roads immediately surrounding the value-added wood processing facility in 
Limestone: South Carolina Road, New Mexico Road, Snowbarn Road, 
Washington Road, Energy Road, Arizona Road and Colorado Road, 
approximately 6 miles from the border; 
(5)  From the United States-Canada border in Fort Fairfield west on Main Street, 
also designated as State Route 167, then north on Limestone Road, also 
designated as U.S. Route 1-A, then west on Foster Avenue, also designated as 
State Route 89, then north on Commerce Centre Road, then on the following 
roads immediately surrounding the value-added wood processing facility in 
Limestone: South Carolina Road, New Mexico Road, Snowbarn Road, 
Washington Road, Energy Road, Arizona Road and Colorado Road, 
approximately 17 miles from the border; 
(6)  From the United States-Canada border in Calais east on International 
Avenue, then north on Baring Street, also designated as U.S. Route 1, then 
northeast on North Street, then northeast on South Street, then south on Main 
Street, also designated as U.S. Route 1, then southeast on State Route 190, then 
south on County Road, then on the following roads immediately surrounding the 
Eastport Port Authority, or its successor, in Eastport: Barron Road and Prince 
Cove Road, approximately 30 miles from the border; and 
(7)  From the United States-Canada border in Calais east on International 
Avenue, then south on Baring Street, also designated as U.S. Route 1, then south 
on State Route 191, then east on Conant Hill Road, also designated as State 
Route 214, then northeast on River Road, also designated as U.S. Route 1, then 
south on State Route 190, then south on County Road, then on the following 
roads immediately surrounding the Eastport Port Authority, or its successor, in 
Eastport: Barron Road and Prince Cove Road, approximately 35 miles from the 
border. 
B.  Allowable truck configuration is limited to: 
(1)  A 3-axle truck tractor with a 3-axle semitrailer at a gross vehicle weight of 
108,900 109,000 pounds; and 
(2)  A 3-axle truck tractor with a semitrailer-semitrailer combination, configured 
as a B-train double with 8 axles total, at a gross vehicle weight of 137,700 
pounds.  The weight of the 2nd semitrailer may not exceed the weight of the first 
semitrailer. 
C.  Maine axle weight limits, axle group limits, commodity allowances, maximum 
dimensions and all other commercial vehicle limits and requirements apply, except 
that the B-train double overall length limit must be 82.02 feet, or 25 meters. 
D.  The manufacturer's ratings for gross vehicle weight, axle capacity, brake systems 
and other components for which a manufacturer's rating is available may not be 
exceeded. 
E.  Each truck combination allowed under this section must display a credential 
obtained for a fee from the Secretary of State.  The fee must be established by the 
Commissioner of Transportation in an amount to cover related administrative costs, 
compliance monitoring and the additional cost of highway damage resulting from the 
allowance under this section calculated using accepted engineering practices. 
F.  The Commissioner of Transportation may revoke the privileges of operation under 
this section of trucks and trucking companies for cause, including repeatedly 
exceeding size and weight limits or operating outside the designated route of travel.  
Revocation by the Commissioner of Transportation is considered a final agency 
action. 
SUMMARY 
This bill establishes new authorized routes from the United States-Canada border in 
Van Buren, Limestone and Fort Fairfield to a value-added wood processing facility in 
Limestone and from the United States-Canada border in Calais to the Port of Eastport for 
certain commercial vehicles at Canadian gross vehicle weight limits.  The bill also 
increases the allowable gross vehicle weight for a 3-axle truck tractor with a 3-axle 
semitrailer by 100 pounds to 109,000 pounds.