Under current law, trucks weighing up to 100,000 pounds are allowed to travel on the portion of Interstate 95 that is designated as the Maine Turnpike-which runs from Maine's border with New Hampshire to Augusta. These same trucks are also permitted on interstate highways in New Hampshire, Massachusetts, and New York as well as the Canadian provinces of New Brunswick and Quebec. The Maine Turnpike designation ends at Augusta, but I-95 proceeds another 200 miles north to Houlton. Even so, drivers of heavy trucks are forced off the highway and onto smaller, secondary roads that pass through cities, towns, and rural neighborhoods.
It simply makes no sense to force heavy trucks off the highway and onto our smaller roads. This increases the wear-and-tear on our secondary roads and jeopardizes the safety of both drivers and pedestrians. The problem Maine faces due to the disparity in truck weight limits affects many communities, but it is clearly evident in Bangor and Brewer. In this region, a two-mile stretch of Interstate 395 connects two major state highways that carry significant truck traffic across Maine. I-395 affords direct and safe access between these major corridors, but because of the existing federal truck weight limit, many heavy trucks are prohibited from using this modern highway. Instead, these trucks, which sometimes carry hazardous materials, are required to maneuver through the downtown portions of Bangor and Brewer on two-lane roadways, with very difficult and dangerous turns, and as many as 20 traffic lights. In addition, my proposal would also allow these trucks to use I-295 and I-195 reducing heavy truck traffic through several other communities such as Freeport, Saco, and Old Orchard Beach.
Congestion is a significant issue, and safety is seriously compromised as a result of these required diversions. In June 2004, Wilbur Smith Associates, a nationally recognized transportation consulting firm, completed a study which found that extending the current truck weight exemption on the Maine Turnpike to all interstate highways in Maine would result in a significant decrease of three fatal crashes per year.
Additionally, a uniform truck weight limit of 100,000 pounds would result in economic and environmental benefits. Last year, I met Kurt Babineau, a small business owner and second generation logger and trucker from the Penobscot County town of West Enfield. Like so many of our truckers in recent years, Kurt has been struggling with the increasing costs of running his operation. All of the pulpwood his business produces is transported to Verso Paper in Jay, a 165-mile roundtrip. Kurt estimates that permitting his trucks to travel on all of I-95 would save his company at least 118 gallons of fuel each week. This would not only result in a significant savings for his business but would also benefit our nation as we look for ways to decrease the overall consumption of fuel.
The provision that I have been able to include in the Transportation Appropriations bill would create a one-year pilot project that would require the U.S. Department of Transportation and the Maine Department of Transportation to study the impact on safety, road durability, commerce and energy use. These agencies would be required to submit their findings to Congress.
Shippers and transporters do so much to keep our state and this nation moving forward. They transport essential goods and services around the country safely and expeditiously. Their hard work creates jobs that support our families and our communities. I am hopeful that the one-year pilot project that I authored will become law. It is a common-sense proposal that would correct a disparity and help resolve a significant safety problem in our state.