Commercial Truck Highway Safety Demonstration Program Act of 2005

This bill would create a pilot program in Maine to test the safety effects of allowing heavier commercial trucks on the state’s Interstate highways. Specifically, it would permit three-axle tractor-trailers weighing more than 80,000 pounds to use the Interstate System, provided they meet Maine’s existing state weight limits.

The practical goal of the program is to determine if moving heavy truck traffic from smaller secondary roads onto the Interstate improves overall highway safety. To ensure accountability, the state would be required to form a safety committee and collect data on how these weight changes impact traffic accidents and road conditions.