Maine Revised Statutes Title 29-A. Motor Vehicles § 2387. Bridge loads

1. Local authority to limit weight, number or speed. Officials responsible for the repair and maintenance of a bridge may limit the combined weight of vehicle and load or any axle, or the number or speed of vehicles permitted on a bridge to the limit necessary for the safety of life or property or the maintenance of the bridge.

2. Department of Transportation responsibility. If an official fails to set limits, the Department of Transportation may set limits.

3. Posting. Regulations are in effect when notice is conspicuously posted at each end of a bridge.

4. Advice. Limits must be based on the advice of the Department of Transportation or a registered professional civil engineer retained for the purpose of inspecting and determining the safe capacity of bridges.

In an emergency, the officials may set limits as they may determine proper for the structural capacity or the maintenance of the bridge.

As soon as is reasonably possible, the officials shall seek the advice of the Department of Transportation.

5. Penalty. Violation of a posted bridge weight limit is a traffic violation, for which a forfeiture of $20 per each full 1,000 pounds plus $30 per each full 10% over the posted limit may be adjudged.

It is not a violation if the excess weight is less than 500 pounds multiplied by the number of axles less one.

If the violation is for excess weight less than 1,000 pounds multiplied by the number of axles less one, the fine is reduced by 50%.