S-1331.1 _______________________________________________
SUBSTITUTE SENATE BILL 5222
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State of Washington 54th Legislature 1995 Regular Session
By Senate Committee on Transportation (originally sponsored by Senators Owen, Haugen, Prince, Morton and Winsley)
Read first time 02/02/95.
AN ACT Relating to log trucks and pole trailers; amending RCW 46.44.030; providing an effective date; and declaring an emergency.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:
Sec. 1. RCW 46.44.030 and 1994 c 59 s 2 are each amended to read as follows:
It is unlawful for any person to operate upon the public highways of this state any vehicle having an overall length, with or without load, in excess of forty feet. This restriction does not apply to (1) a municipal transit vehicle, (2) auto stage, private carrier bus or school bus with an overall length not to exceed forty-six feet, or (3) an articulated auto stage with an overall length not to exceed sixty-one feet.
((It
is unlawful for any person to operate on the highways of this state any
combination of vehicles that contains a vehicle in excess of forty-eight feet,
with or without load.))
It is unlawful for any person to operate upon the public highways of this state any combination consisting of a tractor and semitrailer that has a semitrailer length in excess of fifty-three feet or a combination consisting of a tractor and two trailers in which the combined length of the trailers exceeds sixty-one feet, with or without load.
It is unlawful for any person to operate on the highways of this state any combination consisting of a truck and trailer, or log truck and stinger-steered pole trailer, with an overall length, with or without load, in excess of seventy-five feet. However, a combination of vehicles transporting automobiles or boats may have a front overhang of three feet and a rear overhang of four feet beyond this allowed length. "Stinger-steered," as used in this section, means the coupling device is located behind the tread of the tires of the last axle of the towing vehicle.
These length limitations do not apply to vehicles transporting poles, pipe, machinery, or other objects of a structural nature that cannot be dismembered and operated by a public utility when required for emergency repair of public service facilities or properties, but in respect to night transportation every such vehicle and load thereon shall be equipped with a sufficient number of clearance lamps on both sides and marker lamps upon the extreme ends of any projecting load to clearly mark the dimensions of the load.
The length limitations described in this section are exclusive of safety and energy conservation devices, such as mud flaps and splash and spray suppressant devices, refrigeration units or air compressors, and other devices that the department determines to be necessary for safe and efficient operation of commercial vehicles. No device excluded under this paragraph from the limitations of this section may have, by its design or use, the capability to carry cargo.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 2. This act is necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, or safety, or support of the state government and its existing public institutions, and shall take effect June 1, 1995.
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