CERTIFICATION OF ENROLLMENT

 

                        HOUSE BILL 1095

 

 

 

 

                        57th Legislature

                2001 Regular Legislative Session

 

Passed by the House April 13, 2001

  Yeas 84   Nays 0

 

 

 

Speaker of the House of Representatives

     

 

 

Speaker of the House of Representatives

 

 

 

 

Passed by the Senate April 4, 2001

  Yeas 48   Nays 0

             CERTIFICATE

 

We, Timothy A. Martin and Cynthia Zehnder, Co-Chief Clerks of the House of Representatives of the State of Washington, do hereby certify that the attached is HOUSE BILL 1095  as passed by the House of Representatives and the Senate on the dates hereon set forth.

 

 

 

                          Chief Clerk

 

 

 

                          Chief Clerk

President of the Senate

 

 

 

Approved Place Style On Codes above, and Style Off Codes below.              

                                FILED

                

 

Governor of the State of Washington

                   Secretary of State

                  State of Washington


          _______________________________________________

 

                          HOUSE BILL 1095

          _______________________________________________

 

                     AS AMENDED BY THE SENATE

 

             Passed Legislature - 2001 Regular Session

 

State of Washington      57th Legislature     2001 Regular Session

 

By Representatives Mitchell, Fisher and Hankins; by request of Department of Transportation

 

Read first time 01/16/2001.  Referred to Committee on Transportation.

Updating oversize load permits. 


    AN ACT Relating to the authority to issue special permits for oversize or overweight movements; amending RCW 46.44.090 and 46.44.091; adding a new section to chapter 46.44 RCW; and repealing RCW 46.44.038.

 

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

 

    Sec. 1.  RCW 46.44.090 and 1977 ex.s. c 151 s 30 are each amended to read as follows:

    The department of transportation, pursuant to rules adopted by the transportation commission with respect to state highways, and local authorities, with respect to public highways under their jurisdiction, may, upon application in writing and good cause being shown therefor, issue a special permit in writing, or electronically, authorizing the applicant to operate or move a vehicle or combination of vehicles of a size, weight of vehicle, or load exceeding the maximum ((specified in this chapter or otherwise not in conformity with the provisions of this chapter)) set forth in RCW 46.44.010, 46.44.020, 46.44.030, 46.44.034, and 46.44.041 upon any public highway under the jurisdiction of the authority granting such permit and for the maintenance of which such authority is responsible.

 

    Sec. 2.  RCW 46.44.091 and 1989 c 52 s 1 are each amended to read as follows:

    (1) Except as otherwise provided in subsections (3) and (4) of this section, no special permit shall be issued for movement on any state highway or route of a state highway within the limits of any city or town where the gross weight, including load, exceeds the following limits:

    (a) Twenty-two thousand pounds on a single axle or on dual axles with a wheelbase between the first and second axles of less than three feet six inches;

    (b) Forty-three thousand pounds on dual axles having a wheelbase between the first and second axles of not less than three feet six inches but less than seven feet;

    (c) On any group of axles or in the case of a vehicle employing two single axles with a wheel base between the first and last axle of not less than seven feet but less than ten feet, a weight in pounds determined by multiplying six thousand five hundred times the distance in feet between the center of the first axle and the center of the last axle of the group;

    (d) On any group of axles with a wheel base between the first and last axle of not less than ten feet but less than thirty feet, a weight in pounds determined by multiplying two thousand two hundred times the sum of twenty and the distance in feet between the center of the first axle and the center of the last axle of the group;

    (e) On any group of axles with a wheel base between the first and last axle of thirty feet or greater, a weight in pounds determined by multiplying one thousand six hundred times the sum of forty and the distance in feet between the center of the first axle and the center of the last axle of the group.

    (2) The total weight of a vehicle or combination of vehicles allowable by special permit under subsection (1) of this section shall be governed by the lesser of the weights obtained by using the total number of axles as a group or any combination of axles as a group.

    (3) The weight limitations pertaining to single axles may be exceeded to permit the movement of equipment operating upon single pneumatic tires having a rim width of twenty inches or more and a rim diameter of twenty-four inches or more or dual pneumatic tires having a rim width of sixteen inches or more and a rim diameter of twenty-four inches or more and specially designed vehicles manufactured and certified for special permits prior to July 1, 1975.

    (4) Permits may be issued for weights in excess of the limitations contained in subsection (1) of this section on highways or sections of highways which have been designed and constructed for weights in excess of such limitations, or for any shipment duly certified as necessary by military officials, or by officials of public or private power facilities, or when in the opinion of the department of transportation the movement or action is a necessary movement or action:  PROVIDED, That in the judgment of the department of transportation the structures and highway surfaces on the routes involved are capable of sustaining weights in excess of such limitations and it is not reasonable for economic or operational considerations to transport such excess weights by rail or water for any substantial distance of the total mileage applied for.

    (5) ((Permits may be issued for the operation of fire trucks on the public highways if the maximum gross weight on any single axle does not exceed twenty-four thousand pounds and the gross weight on any tandem axle does not exceed forty-three thousand pounds.

    (6))) Application shall be made in writing on special forms provided by the department of transportation and shall be submitted at least thirty-six hours in advance of the proposed movement.  An application for a special permit for a gross weight of any combination of vehicles exceeding two hundred thousand pounds shall be submitted in writing to the department of transportation at least thirty days in advance of the proposed movement.

 

    NEW SECTION.  Sec. 3.  A new section is added to chapter 46.44 RCW to read as follows:

    (1) As used in this section, "fire-fighting apparatus" means a vehicle or combination of vehicles, owned by a regularly organized fire suppression agency, designed, maintained, and used exclusively for fire suppression and rescue or for fire prevention activities.  These vehicles and associated loads or equipment are necessary to protect the public safety and are considered nondivisible loads.  A vehicle or combination of vehicles that is not designed primarily for fire suppression including, but not limited to, a hazardous materials response vehicle, bus, mobile kitchen, mobile sanitation facility, and heavy equipment transport vehicle is not a fire-fighting apparatus for purposes of this section.

    (2) Fire-fighting apparatus must comply with all applicable federal and state vehicle operating and safety criteria, including rules adopted by agencies within each jurisdiction.

    (3) All owners and operators of fire-fighting apparatus shall comply with current information, available through the department, regarding the applicable load restrictions of state bridges within the designated fire service area, including any automatic or mutual aid agreement areas.

    (4) Fire-fighting apparatus operating within a fire district boundary of the owner of the apparatus, including any automatic or mutual aid agreement areas, may operate without a permit if:

    (a) The weight does not exceed:

    (i) 600 pounds per inch width of tire;

    (ii) 24,000 pounds on a single axle;

    (iii) 43,000 pounds on a tandem axle set;

    (iv) 67,000 pounds gross vehicle weight, subject to the gross weight limits of RCW 46.44.091(1) (c), (d), and (e);

    (v) The tire manufacturer's tire load rating.

    (b) There is no tridem axle set.

    (c) The dimensions do not exceed:

    (i) 8 feet, 6 inches wide;

    (ii) 14 feet high;

    (iii) 50 feet overall length;

    (iv) 15 foot front overhang;

    (v) Rear overhang not exceeding the length of the wheel base.

    (5) The department may grant permits for fire fighting apparatus that exceed the weight limits in subsection (4) of this section only if they were put into operation in this state before July 1, 2001.  The department shall issue the permit on an annual basis for the apparatus to operate within the designated fire service area, including mutual benefit agreement areas, subject to the applicable load restrictions of state bridges referred to in subsection (3) of this section and any other limitations stipulated on the permit.  Before issuing a permit, the department will compare the apparatus to be permitted with the bridge load ratings for structures on state highways within the operating area.  The permit will denote any structures where access by the apparatus is either based on special operating instructions or is denied.

 

    NEW SECTION.  Sec. 4.  RCW 46.44.038 (Size and combinations restrictions--Special permits to exceed authorized) and 1983 c 3 s 120 & 1967 ex.s. c 145 s 62 are each repealed.

 


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