"As Congress considers highway reauthorization legislation, it is my hope that we will be able to adequately address what I believe is the most pressing transportation safety issue in our State," said Senator Collins. "The greatest issue is safety. A uniform truck weight limit would keep trucks on the interstate where they belong, rather than on roads and highways that pass through Maine's cities, towns, and neighborhoods. Maine's citizens and motorists are needlessly at risk because too many heavy trucks are forced off the interstate and on to local roads."
Senator Collins and Senator Olympia Snowe have introduced legislation that would direct the U.S. Secretary of Transportation to establish a commercial truck safety pilot program in Maine. Under the pilot program, the truck weight limit on all Maine highways that are part of the interstate highway system would be set at 100,000 pounds for three years. During that period, the Secretary would study the impact of the pilot program on safety, and would receive the input of a panel that would include State officials, safety organizations, municipalities, and the commercial trucking industry. The uniform weight limit would become permanent if the panel determined that motorists were safer as a result.
"A recent study determined there will be less accidents if we keep heavy trucks on the Interstate. Maine's extensive network of State and local roads will be better preserved without the wear and tear of heavy truck traffic, decreasing the need for expensive repair," said Senator Collins. "A uniform truck weight limit of 100,000 pounds on Maine's interstate highways would also be beneficial for the trucking industry and the state. If truck drivers were allowed to stay on interstate highways, it would reduce the miles and travel times necessary to transport freight through Maine, resulting in economic and environmental benefits."
Under current law, trucks weighing as much as 100,000 pounds are allowed to travel on Interstate 95 from Maine's border with New Hampshire to Augusta. At Augusta, trucks weighing more than 80,000 pounds are forced off Interstate 95 and are forced onto smaller, secondary roads. A study conducted by the Maine Department of Transportation examined the impact a uniform 100,000 pound weight limit on Maine's Interstate System would have on safety, pavement, and bridges. The study predicted that crashes involving trucks would decrease by more than 3 crashes per year. The study also estimated that it would save the State of Maine between $1 million and $1.65 million in pavement rehabilitation each year and around $300,000 each year in bridge maintenance and rehabilitation costs.