Chapter 647
H.P. 1673 - L.D. 2313
An Act To Keep Bridges Safe and Roads Passable
Sec. 1. 29-A MRSA §453, sub-§2,  as enacted by PL 1993, c. 683, Pt. A, §2 and affected by Pt. B, §5, is amended to read:
Sec. 2. 29-A MRSA §501, sub-§1,  as amended by PL 2007, c. 383, §7, is further amended to read:
An automobile or sport utility vehicle used for the conveyance of passengers or property is a "combination" vehicle and may be issued a special plate with the word "combination" instead of "Vacationland." A passenger vehicle used under contract with the State, a municipality or a school district to transport students must be designated as "combination." A vehicle owned or operated by parents or legal guardians is exempt from this subsection.
Commercial plates may not be issued for or displayed on an automobile.
A sport utility vehicle may be registered either as an automobile or a truck. A sport utility vehicle with a gross vehicle weight or combined gross vehicle weight in excess of 10,000 pounds and used in the furtherance of a commercial enterprise must be registered as a truck according to its actual gross weight as provided in section 504.
The gross weight of a pickup truck registered as provided by this subsection may not exceed 6,000 pounds. An owner of a pickup truck who operates the pickup truck with a gross weight in excess of 6,000 pounds or the pickup truck drawing a semitrailer with a combined gross weight in excess of 6,000 pounds must register the truck as provided in section 504.
A combination of vehicles consisting of a pickup truck as defined in section 101, subsection 55 and a semitrailer with a registered weight of 2,000 pounds or less may be operated at the combined gross weight of the pickup truck and the semitrailer.
Beginning July 1, 2009, $10 of the fee must be transferred on a quarterly basis by the Treasurer of State to the TransCap Trust Fund established by Title 30-A, section 6006-G.
Sec. 3. 29-A MRSA §504, sub-§1, ¶A,  as amended by PL 1999, c. 790, Pt. C, §8 and affected by §19, is further amended to read:
Beginning July 1, 2009, $10 of the fee must be transferred on a quarterly basis by the Treasurer of State to the TransCap Trust Fund established by Title 30-A, section 6006-G.
Sec. 4. 29-A MRSA §603, sub-§1,  as amended by PL 2001, c. 440, Pt. C, §1, is further amended to read:
Beginning July 1, 2009, $10 of the fee must be transferred on a quarterly basis by the Treasurer of State to the TransCap Trust Fund established by Title 30-A, section 6006-G.
For a person who possesses a trailer or semitrailer registration pursuant to section 512, subsection 3, the fee is $18.
Sec. 5. Authorization to issue TransCap Trust Fund revenue bonds for bridges. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the Maine Municipal Bond Bank, at the request of the Department of Transportation, is authorized to issue TransCap Trust Fund revenue bonds as provided in the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 30-A, section 6006-G from time to time in amounts that in total do not exceed $160,000,000 from the effective date of this bill to fiscal year 2012-13 for the purpose of making capital improvements to bridges and minor spans on or over public ways in the State. This section does not limit the ability to authorize additional TransCap Trust Fund revenue bonds for additional bridge needs or any other eligible purpose.
Sec. 6. Bridge innovation and composites initiative. The Department of Transportation, working with the University of Maine, shall implement a bridge innovation and composites initiative. This initiative seeks to expand the use of composite technologies in bridge maintenance and capital applications, expand markets and research for transportation-related uses of composites, use technology and products to inspect and extend the life of bridges and bridge components and reduce reliance on fossil fuels in the content or the production of bridge components. The initiative also seeks to develop materials, components and delivery models that expedite the design, rehabilitation and construction of bridges, reduce costs and reduce the impact on the traveling public. The delivery models may use a composite content scale and other standards to provide incentives to meet the objectives of this initiative. As used in this section, "bridge" includes minor spans.
Sec. 7. Appropriations and allocations. The following appropriations and allocations are made.
TRANSPORTATION, DEPARTMENT OF
Highway and Bridge Capital 0406
Initiative: Allocates additional funds on a one-time basis for the Highway and Bridge Capital program.
| HIGHWAY FUND | 2007-08 | 2008-09 |
|
Capital Expenditures
|
$0 | $12,971,000 |
 |
|
|
| HIGHWAY FUND TOTAL | $0 | $12,971,000 |
Sec. 8. Effective date. This Act takes effect September 1, 2008.