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An Act To Allow for the Equalization of Truck Weights between Maine and Canada for Limited Use at the Border Crossings
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 108,900109,000 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.