N.H. Eyes Strengthening Weight Rules

New Hampshire officials say the state’s low fines for overweight trucks do little to curtail heavy loads, which cause long-term damage to bridges and highways, the Associated Press reported Monday.

The state fines overweight truckers less than other New England states, AP said. The fine for exceeding the weight limit is $100 plus a $20 court fee.

One state official said the low fines are a cost of doing business for some truckers, and New Hampshire House Transportation Committee Chairman Jim Ryan said the state probably should review the fine structure, AP reported.

A truck with five or more axles operating on a state interstate highway can weigh as much as 80,000 pounds, or 99,000 pounds if the state certifies it for extra weight, AP reported.

But the New Hampshire Highway Patrol does not impose a fine unless a truck is 5% above the limit, meaning it can weigh up to 103,950 pounds, AP said.

A civil engineering professor at the University of New Hampshire said overloaded trucks cause fatigue cracking on bridges, AP reported.