(a) The State Highway Administration may conduct appropriate studies to determine whether the safety and general welfare of a residential community are threatened by noise, vibration, or incidence of truck traffic on any State highway. In determining whether or not to conduct such a study, the Administration shall consider the number of complaints about truck traffic received, if any, from residents of an area.

(b) If the State Highway Administration determines that a threat exists and that the safety and general welfare of the residential community would be promoted by the adoption of restrictions on the use of the State highway by trucks, the Administration may establish routes, speed limits, time restrictions, weight restrictions, or other measures with respect to truck traffic on the State highway, which will minimize the adverse effects of that traffic on the residential area or cause that traffic to avoid the residential area entirely.

(c) Under this section, truck traffic may be prohibited entirely on any State highway or part of a State highway, if an adequately functional alternate route is available to carry the truck traffic, taking into consideration the amount of additional fuel that would be required over the alternate route and the economic impact on the citizens of this State caused by the alternate route.

(d) The provisions of this section:

(1) Do not apply to any Class E (truck) vehicles of 10,000 pounds or less gross vehicle weight; and

(2) Do not preclude the making of local deliveries of supplies or services in any residential communities.