AB 778

Under current law, with limited exceptions, no person may operate upon a

highway any vehicle or combination of vehicles that exceeds certain statutory weight

limits unless the person obtains a permit issued by the Department of

Transportation (DOT) or a local highway authority. DOT may issue annual or

consecutive month permits for the transportation of raw forest products in vehicle

combinations having a gross weight not exceeding 98,000 pounds if the vehicle

combination has six or more axles and meets other criteria (RS permit). A vehicle

combination operated under an RS permit is subject to certain operating restrictions,

including that it cannot be operated on an interstate highway. "Raw forest products"

includes logs, poles, cordwood, wood chips, sawdust, and pulpwood.

Also under current law, DOT or a local highway authority may impose special

weight limits on highways that, because of weakness of the roadbed due to

deterioration or climatic conditions or other special or temporary conditions, would

likely be seriously damaged or destroyed in the absence of the special limits. If

special weight limits are imposed, the limits must be posted by highway signs along

the affected highways. The special weight limits apply regardless of whether a

vehicle is being operated under an overweight permit unless the permit expressly

authorizes the special weight limits to be exceeded.

Under this bill, each RS permit must expressly authorize the vehicle

combination to exceed any special weight limits imposed in connection with the

thawing of frozen highways and to be operated at the full allowable weight of up to

98,000 pounds.

Under current law, if a vehicle's per-axle weight is over limits prescribed by law

by not more than 2,000 pounds and the vehicle's load can be reloaded within the

normal load carrying areas to eliminate the excess per-axle weight, the operator may

reload up to 2,000 pounds and no forfeiture may be imposed. In lieu of reloading the

vehicle, the operator may choose to continue operating the vehicle above the per-axle

weight limit and pay a forfeiture of $50 for failure to reload the vehicle.

This bill affords the same opportunity to reload up to 2,000 pounds, or pay a

forfeiture of $50 for failure to reload, for a vehicle combination being operated under

an RS permit if the vehicle combination exceeds, by not more than 2,000 pounds, any

per-axle weight limit specified in the RS permit.

Because this bill concerns an exception to the vehicle weight limits specified in

ch. 348, stats., the Department of Transportation, as required by law, will prepare

a report to be printed as an appendix to this bill.