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Truck Weight Limits in Maine. Regional Harmonization Can Yield Multiple Benefits Safety ~ Economy ~ Environment Transportation Infrastructure David Cole Commissioner, MaineDOT. Maine….the Pine Tree State…. Maine…Vacationland!. Freeport - Home of LL Bean.
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Truck Weight Limits in Maine Regional Harmonization Can Yield Multiple Benefits Safety ~ Economy ~ EnvironmentTransportation Infrastructure David Cole Commissioner, MaineDOT
Maine…Vacationland! Freeport - Home of LL Bean
Truck-Weight Limits: Disparityon Maine’s State Highway System
Truck-Weight Limits:Secondary Roads or Interstate? • From Augusta to Houlton, Maine • Secondary Roads: 20+ traffic lights, 270+ intersections, 3,000+ driveways/entrances, schools, playgrounds, downtowns, 90 turns • I-95: 192 miles controlled-access highway, 32 interchanges, one hour less travel time • Where should heavy vehicles travel?
Harmonizing Truck Weight Limits Can Yield Multiple Benefits Safety Benefits Economic Benefits Infrastructure Protection Environmental Protection
Safety Benefits 2003 Wilbur Smith Study • Rural Interstates 3-to-4 times safer than rural secondary roads • Interstate exemption would remove 7.8 million loaded truck-miles of travel from Maine roads • To haul the same amount of freight…it would take 3 trucks at 80K vs. 2 trucks at 100K…without changing truck size…just adding an axle
Economic Benefits • Exemption would enhance the Northeast’s U.S.-Canada trade corridor by eliminating the 200-mile gap on I-95 • Exemption would lower shipping costs by decreasing truck-miles traveled per volume of goods (2 trucks operating at 100K = 3 trucks operating at 80K) • Relief for distressed traditional industries in Maine and the region
Northeast CanAm Connections Study • Study of transportation deficiencies affecting NE border region • Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, New York, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Ontario, PEI, Quebec, Newfoundland, and Labrador • Near-, medium-, and long-term strategies recommended
CanAm Study Conclusions • Harmonization: The highest cost-benefit ratio of strategies analyzed: $10 in benefits for every $1 invested • Harmonization: Positive employment impacts • Near-Term Recommendation: Conduct a pilot study for cross-border truck harmonization
Benefits for Transportation Infrastructure • Exemption would save up to $2 million/year in bridge and pavement consumption costs (2003 figures; today’s figures would be much higher) • A 6th axle would be required for GVW greater than 80K-lbs.
Environmental Benefits • Recently completed study (American Transportation Research Institute) • CO2 emissions would be 6-11% lower on the Interstate than on the longer, parallel secondary roads • Overall reduction in NOX emissions • Fewer vehicles = less fuel consumed
Common Sense • 28 states already have some form of federal truck-weight limit exemption on their Interstates • Move heavy trucks out of rural communities and onto SAFER Interstates
Professional Engineering Opinion “Maine’s Interstate System can support the addition of the 100,000-lb. GVW vehicles to Maine’s Interstate traffic stream, without any noticeable or significant damage to the system’s infrastructure.” Signed by 5 MaineDOT senior Professional Engineers with 160+ years engineering experience.
Sensible Truck-Weight Limits on Maine’s Interstates In these difficult economic times, isn’t truck-weight harmonization according to the specific needs of each state worth considering?
