S-4588.1

SUBSTITUTE SENATE BILL 6265


State of Washington	64th Legislature	2016 Regular Session

By Senate Transportation (originally sponsored by Senators King, Warnick, Bailey, Schoesler, Hasegawa, Conway, Takko, Nelson, Padden, Benton, Ericksen, Honeyford, Parlette, and Hewitt)

READ FIRST TIME 02/09/16.

AN ACT Relating to vehicle weight limits for the movement of agricultural commodities; and amending RCW 46.44.041, 46.44.091, and 36.75.270.

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

Sec. 1. RCW 46.44.041 and 1997 c 198 s 1 are each amended to read as follows:

(1) Except as provided in subsection (2) of this section, no vehicle or combination of vehicles shall operate upon the public highways of this state with a gross load on any single axle in excess of twenty thousand pounds, or upon any group of axles in excess of that set forth in the following table, except that two consecutive sets of tandem axles may carry a gross load of thirty-four thousand pounds each, if the overall distance between the first and last axles of such consecutive sets of tandem axles is thirty-six feet or more.


			Maximum load in pounds carried on any group of 2 or more consecutive axles
Distance in feet between the extremes of any group of 2 or more consecutive axles
		2	3	4	5		6		7		8		9
		axles	axles	axles	axles		axles		axles		axles		axles

	4	34,000
	5	34,000
	6	34,000
	7	34,000
	8 & less	34,000	34,000
	more than 8	38,000	42,000
	9	39,000	42,500
	10	40,000	43,500
	11		44,000
	12		45,000	50,000
	13		45,500	50,500
	14		46,500	51,500
	15		47,000	52,000
	16		48,000	52,500	58,000
	17		48,500	53,500	58,500
	18		49,500	54,000	59,000
	19		50,000	54,500	60,000
	20		51,000	55,500	60,500	66,000
	21		51,500	56,000	61,000	66,500
	22		52,500	56,500	61,500	67,000
	23		53,000	57,500	62,500	68,000
	24		54,000	58,000	63,000	68,500		74,000
	25		54,500	58,500	63,500	69,000		74,500
	26		55,500	59,500	64,000	69,500		75,000
	27		56,000	60,000	65,000	70,000		75,500
	28		57,000	60,500	65,500	71,000		76,500		82,000
	29		57,500	61,500	66,000	71,500		77,000		82,500
	30		58,500	62,000	66,500	72,000		77,500		83,000
	31		59,000	62,500	67,500	72,500		78,000		83,500
	32		60,000	63,500	68,000	73,000		78,500		84,500		90,000
	33			64,000	68,500	74,000		79,000		85,000		90,500
	34			64,500	69,000	74,500		80,000		85,500		91,000
	35			65,500	70,000	75,000		80,500		86,000		91,500
	36			66,000	70,500	75,500		81,000		86,500		92,000
	37			66,500	71,000	76,000		81,500		87,000		93,000
	38			67,500	71,500	77,000		82,000		87,500		93,500
	39			68,000	72,500	77,500		82,500		88,500		94,000
	40			68,500	73,000	78,000		83,500		89,000		94,500
	41			69,500	73,500	78,500		84,000		89,500		95,000
	42			70,000	74,000	79,000		84,500		90,000		95,500
	43			70,500	75,000	80,000		85,000		90,500		96,000
	44			71,500	75,500	80,500		85,500		91,000		96,500
	45			72,000	76,000	81,000		86,000		91,500		97,500
	46			72,500	76,500	81,500		87,000		92,500		98,000
	47			73,500	77,500	82,000		87,500		93,000		98,500
	48			74,000	78,000	83,000		88,000		93,500		99,000
	49			74,500	78,500	83,500		88,500		94,000		99,500
	50			75,500	79,000	84,000		89,000		94,500		100,000
	51			76,000	80,000	84,500		89,500		95,000		100,500
	52			76,500	80,500	85,000		90,500		95,500		101,000
	53			77,500	81,000	86,000		91,000		96,500		102,000
	54			78,000	81,500	86,500		91,500		97,000		102,500
	55			78,500	82,500	87,000		92,000		97,500		103,000
	56			79,500	83,000	87,500		92,500		98,000		103,500
	57			80,000	83,500	88,000		93,000		98,500		104,000
	58				84,000	89,000		94,000		99,000		104,500
	59				85,000	89,500		94,500		99,500		105,500
	60				85,500	90,000		95,000		100,500		105,500
	61				86,000	90,500		95,500		101,000		105,500
	62				86,500	91,000		96,000		101,500		105,500
	63				87,500	92,000		96,500		102,000		105,500
	64				88,000	92,500		97,500		102,500		105,500
	65				88,500	93,000		98,000		103,000		105,500
	66				89,000	93,500		98,500		103,500		105,500
	67				90,000	94,000		99,000		104,500		105,500
	68				90,500	95,000		99,500		105,000		105,500
	69				91,000	95,500		100,000		105,500		105,500
	70				91,500	96,000		101,000		105,500		105,500
	71				92,500	96,500		101,500		105,500		105,500
	72				93,000	97,000		102,000		105,500		105,500
	73				93,500	98,000		102,500		105,500		105,500
	74				94,000	98,500		103,000		105,500		105,500
	75				95,000	99,000		103,500		105,500		105,500
	76				95,500	99,500		104,500		105,500		105,500
	77				96,000	100,000		105,000		105,500		105,500
	78				96,500	101,000		105,500		105,500		105,500
	79				97,500	101,500		105,500		105,500		105,500
	80				98,000	102,000		105,500		105,500		105,500
	81				98,500	102,500		105,500		105,500		105,500
	82				99,000	103,000		105,500		105,500		105,500
	83				100,000	104,000		105,500		105,500		105,500
	84					104,500		105,500		105,500		105,500
	85					105,000		105,500		105,500		105,500
	86 or more					105,500		105,500		105,500		105,500

When inches are involved: Under six inches take lower, six inches or over take higher. The maximum load on any axle in any group of axles shall not exceed the single axle or tandem axle allowance as set forth in the table above.

The maximum axle and gross weights specified in this section are subject to the braking requirements set up for the service brakes upon any motor vehicle or combination of vehicles as provided by law.

Loads of not more than eighty thousand pounds which may be legally hauled in the state bordering this state which also has a sales tax, are legal in this state when moving to a port district within four miles of the bordering state except on the interstate system. This provision does not allow the operation of a vehicle combination consisting of a truck tractor and three trailers.

Notwithstanding anything contained herein, a vehicle or combination of vehicles in operation on January 4, 1975, may operate upon the public highways of this state, including the interstate system within the meaning of section 127 of Title 23, United States Code, with an overall gross weight upon a group of two consecutive sets of dual axles which was lawful in this state under the laws, regulations, and procedures in effect in this state on January 4, 1975.

(2) A vehicle or combination of vehicles may exceed the weight limits established under subsection (1) of this section by up to two thousand pounds when operating upon the public highways of this state that are not part of the federal-aid interstate system and carrying an agricultural commodity. The exemption provided in this subsection (2) does not allow a vehicle or combination of vehicles to exceed any posted weight limit for a bridge. For purposes of this subsection, "agricultural commodity" means crops produced on a farm or ranch during harvest season and transported from the farm or ranch to the processing location.

Sec. 2. RCW 46.44.091 and 2001 c 262 s 2 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) 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.

(6) A special permit is not required for a vehicle or combination of vehicles meeting the exemption under RCW 46.44.041(2).

Sec. 3. RCW 36.75.270 and 1963 c 4 s 36.75.270 are each amended to read as follows:

(1) The board of county commissioners of each county may by resolution limit or prohibit classes or types of vehicles on any county road or bridge and may limit the weight of vehicles which may travel thereon. Any such resolution shall be effective for a definite period of time which shall be stated in the resolution. If such resolution is published at least once in a newspaper of general circulation in the county and if signs indicating such closure or limitation of traffic have been posted on such road or bridge, any person violating such resolution shall be guilty of a misdemeanor.

(2) However, a vehicle or combination of vehicles may exceed the weight limits established by a board of county commissioners under subsection (1) of this section by up to two thousand pounds when operating upon the public highways of the state and are carrying an agricultural commodity. The exemption provided in this subsection (2) does not allow a vehicle or combination of vehicles to exceed any posted weight limit for a bridge. For purposes of this subsection, "agricultural commodity" means crops produced on a farm or ranch during harvest season and transported from the farm or ranch to the processing location.