HOUSE BILL REPORT

SB 5593

BYSenators Patterson, DeJarnatt, McMullen, Nelson, Thorsness, Barr and von Reichbauer; by request of Department of Transportation

Conforming vehicle length requirements to federal law.

House Committe on Transportation

Majority Report:  Do pass.  (28)

      Signed by Representatives R. Fisher, Chair; Baugher, Vice Chair, Eastern Washington; R. Meyers, Vice Chair, Western Washington; Schmidt, Ranking Republican Member; Wood, Assistant Ranking Republican Member; Basich, Bennett, Betrozoff, Cantwell, Cooper, Day, G. Fisher, Forner, Gallagher, Hankins, Haugen, Heavey, Jones, Kremen, Nelson, Prentice, Prince, Smith, D. Sommers, Todd, Walker, S. Wilson and Zellinsky.

House Staff:Mary McLaughlin (786-7309)

AS PASSED HOUSE MARCH 1, 1990

BACKGROUND:

The 1982 Federal Surface Transportation Assistance Act established a uniform maximum length for certain vehicles operating on the interstate highway system.  The current length limit set by state statute for single and double trailers refers to the permanent structure only.  Historically, the Department of Transportation has included the load length in these measurements, even though the statute does not specifically refer to the overall length, including the load.  A clarification in the state law is needed for law enforcement purposes.

The legal maximum length for an automobile transporter is 75 feet.  In 1988 the Federal Highway Administration, through its rulemaking procedure, clarified the length on auto transporters to allow loads with a three-foot front overhang and a four-foot rear overhang.  A change in state law is needed to address the federal rule change.

SUMMARY:

Current law on vehicle length limitations is clarified to mean the overall length, with or without load.  The three-foot front and four-foot rear overhang on automobile and boat transporters are exempt from statutory load length requirements, as mandated by federal rule.

Fiscal Note:      No Impact.

House Committee ‑ Testified For:    Terry Corrigan, Department of Transportation.

House Committee - Testified Against:      No one.

House Committee - Testimony For:    What constitutes the overall length of a combination vehicle needs to be clarified for law enforcement purposes.  State statutes governing auto transporters should be brought into conformance with federal law.

House Committee - Testimony Against:      None.