SB 279

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

highway any vehicle or combination of vehicles (vehicle) that exceeds certain

statutory limits on size, weight, or load unless that person possesses a permit issued

by the Department of Transportation (DOT), which may issue an annual or

consecutive month permit (Michigan border permit) for an oversize or overweight

vehicle to: 1) transport loads within 11 miles of the Wisconsin-Michigan state line;

2) transport exclusively peeled or unpeeled forest products cut crosswise, wood chips,

or forestry biomass on USH 2 in Iron County, Florence County, or Ashland County

or in Bayfield County from the Ashland County line through Hart Lake Road, if the

vehicle is traveling between this state and Michigan and does not violate Michigan

law; 3) transport exclusively peeled or unpeeled forest products cut crosswise, wood

chips, or forestry biomass on USH 2 from STH 13 in the city of Ashland through Hart

Lake Road in Bayfield County; and 4) transport raw forest products or lumber on

specified highway routes, including a portion of USH 8 in Oneida and Forest counties

and STH 139 from the Wisconsin-Michigan border to USH 8, if the vehicle does not

violate Michigan law. Current law defines "raw forest products" as logs, pilings,

posts, poles, cordwood products, wood chips, sawdust, pulpwood, intermediary

lumber, fuel wood and Christmas trees not altered by a manufacturing process off

the land, sawmill or factory from which they are taken.

This bill modifies operating authority for vehicles operating under a Michigan

border permit in a way that standardizes certain requirements with respect to

highway routes where a Michigan border permit is used. Under the bill, if a vehicle

is operating on a route under items 2 to 4, above, the Michigan border permit

authorizes the transportation of raw forest products, lumber, and forestry biomass.

The bill also eliminates the requirement under item 2, above, that the vehicle travel

between this state and Michigan. The bill adds an additional requirement for items

1 and 3, above, that the vehicle being operated not violate Michigan law. The bill

allows a vehicle operating under a Michigan border permit as provided in item 4,

above, to operate on additional segments of USH 8. The bill also specifies that a

vehicle operated under a Michigan border permit on any route under items 1 to 4,

above, may operate unladen on any of these routes when returning from the delivery

of a load or when traveling to or from a point of fueling, servicing, or purchase or sale

of the vehicle.

Under current law, if any bill introduced in either house of the legislature

directly or indirectly establishes an exception to vehicle weight limitations, DOT

must prepare a report, containing specified information, relating to the bill within

six weeks after the bill is introduced and before any vote is taken on the bill. This

bill directs DOT not to prepare such a report on this bill.