Residents in Lyman are raising concerns after a steady stream of tractor-trailers are continuing to travel down a road clearly marked as closed, despite multiple warning signs and barricades indicating the bridge is out.
Neighbors told The Maine Wire they’ve counted at least 25 tractor-trailers in recent weeks attempting to use the blocked road, Alewive Road, Route 35 southbound. Many of the drivers ignore the posted warnings, continue down the narrow stretch, and are then forced to back up the entire length of the road because there is no room to turn around, observers have reported.
These backups have created traffic jams, frustrated neighbors, and increased safety risks for drivers and pedestrians.
The danger became more apparent on October 1, when a tractor-trailer overturned on the road, according to a report from the York County Sheriff’s Office. Residents say it’s difficult to believe so many drivers could repeatedly end up on the same closed road without either willfully ignoring the warnings or misunderstanding them.
“I don’t know what it is. They can’t read? They don’t understand the road is closed? If you can’t read, I don’t know how you can drive a tractor-trailer,” said Bill Nowicki, a resident on Alewive Road.
Under federal law, commercial drivers are required to read and speak English well enough to understand highway signs and signals. According to 49 CFR §391.11(b)(2), CDL drivers must be able to converse with the public, comprehend posted signs, respond to official inquiries and complete required records.
The Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance added English proficiency to its Out-of-Service criteria on June 25, 2025, meaning drivers who cannot meet the language requirement can be immediately placed out of service during roadside inspections.
On August 12, a truck driver in Florida, Harjinder Singh, was involved in a fatal crash and was found to have failed road sign tests and English comprehension tests in a post-crash investigation. Singh, a 28-year-old Indian national, was issued commercial driver’s licenses in Washington state and California despite failing an English proficiency test, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation. Singh allegedly made an illegal U-turn on the Florida Turnpike in St. Lucie County in an eighteen-wheeler, killing three people in a minivan that struck his rig. It is reported that Singh is in the country illegally.
In New York, the CDL controversy has further fueled debate. Federal authorities arrested a driver who possessed a New York State commercial driver’s license that listed “No Name Given Anmol” instead of a first and middle name. The arrest has drawn criticism over identity verification procedures in CDL issuance.
Maine law mirrors the federal standard. CDL knowledge tests in the state must be taken in English, and interpreters are not permitted. Although study materials are available in multiple languages, drivers must demonstrate they can read and understand English-language road signs to legally operate a commercial vehicle. Maine does not provide language-based exemptions for CDL testing or enforcement.
The recent incidents in Lyman are prompting questions about whether some drivers on local roads meet those requirements. Residents say they fear it’s only a matter of time before another incident occurs.
Local officials have been made aware of the issue, but enforcement so far has been limited. With the bridge still out of service and detours clearly marked, neighbors are urging state and federal regulators to crack down on violators and hold trucking companies accountable for ensuring their drivers meet all legal standards.
Watch: Here’s a drive down Alewive road, showing the myriad of unmistakable “road closed” warning signs:
