Sec. 1. 23 MRSA §2956 is enacted to read:

§2956.__Hauling timber on discontinued roads

1.__Transporting timber.__A person may transport timber on a town way that is discontinued pursuant to section 3026 or any former statute under which municipal officers discontinued town ways or on a highway that is discontinued pursuant to section 2051, subsection 1 or any former statute under which county commissioners discontinued highways if the timber is felled on property owned by that person and a public easement exists on the discontinued road.

2.__Clearing discontinued roads.__A person who transports timber on a discontinued road pursuant to subsection 1 may clear trees, shrubs, rocks and other obstructions from the discontinued road and improve the road to a condition that is safe for passage.__The person may remove from the road gates, fences and other obstructions erected by an individual if, before removing the obstruction, that person makes a reasonable effort to notify the individual who erected the obstruction.

SUMMARY

This bill permits a person to transport timber over a discontinued municipal or county road if the timber is cut on property owned by that person and a public easement exists in the discontinued road. It also allows the person to clear obstructions from the discontinued road and to improve the road's condition to allow safe travel.