189.222 Increased height, length, and weight limits on designated highways -- Exceptions -- Cabinet may promulgate administrative regulations to implement 23 C.F.R. Part 658 -- Restriction of cabinet&
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implement 23 C.F.R. Part 658 -- Restriction of cabinet's enforcement powers
on locally maintained roads. (1) Except as provided in subsection (2) of this section, the secretary of the Transportation Cabinet in respect to highways which are a part of the state-
maintained system, by official order, may increase on designated highways or
portions thereof, the maximum height, length, and gross weight prescribed in KRS
189.221, if in the opinion of the secretary, the increased height, length, and weight
designated by him are justified by the strength, safety, and durability of the
designated highways, and the highways do not appear susceptible to unreasonable
and unusual damage by reason of the increases and the secretary may establish
reasonable classification of state maintained roads and fix a different maximum for
each classification. Any increase in the height, length, or width of any motor truck
or tractor semitrailer combinations or any other vehicle combinations including any
part of the body or load or designation of highways to be used by the vehicles, shall
not, in any way, exceed the federal law or regulations thereunder or jeopardize the
allotment or qualification for federal aid funds of the Commonwealth of Kentucky
or exceed the following dimensions and weights:
(a) Height, thirteen and one-half (13-1/2) feet;
(b) Length, semitrailers, fifty-three (53) feet; trailers, twenty-eight (28) feet; motor trucks, forty-five (45) feet, not to exceed two (2) trailers per truck
tractor; (c) Weight, twenty thousand (20,000) pounds per single axle, with axles less than forty-two (42) inches apart to be considered as a single axle; thirty-four
thousand (34,000) pounds on two (2) axles in tandem arrangement which are
spaced forty-two (42) inches or more apart and less than ninety-six (96) inches
apart; forty-eight thousand (48,000) pounds on three (3) axles which are
spaced forty-two (42) inches or more apart and less than one hundred twenty
(120) inches apart. No single axle in any arrangement shall exceed twenty
thousand (20,000) pounds or seven hundred (700) pounds per inch of the
aggregate width of all the tires on a single axle, whichever is less. The total
gross weight of the vehicle and load shall not exceed eighty thousand (80,000)
pounds; (d) Except on the interstate highway system, a tolerance of not more than five percent (5%) per axle load shall be permitted before a carrier is deemed to
have violated paragraph (c) of this subsection. The gross weight shall not
exceed eighty thousand (80,000) pounds; (e) Except as provided for in paragraph (f) of this subsection, truck tractor, semitrailer and trailer combinations, and other vehicle combinations may be
operated only on the interstate system and on those parts of the federal aid
highway system and the state-maintained system which have been designated
by the secretary of the Transportation Cabinet by official order as safely
allowing same; (f) A vehicle or combination of vehicles that is one hundred two (102) inches wide or less and has a gross weight of not more than eighty thousand (80,000)
pounds may be driven on any state highway, for a distance of up to fifteen
(15) miles from an interstate or parkway exit. (2) In addition to the provisions of KRS 189.2226, vehicles with a gross weight of up to eighty thousand (80,000) pounds may travel on any state highway in the
Commonwealth without obtaining a special permit, if the weight does not exceed
any limits mandated by federal law or regulation, any posted bridge weight limit, or
the weight limits for the size and type of vehicle established under paragraph (c) of
subsection (1) of this section, and if the vehicle is transporting any of the following:
(a) Meats or agricultural crop products originating from a farm to first market;
(b) Livestock or poultry from their point of origin to first market;
(c) Primary forest products, including, but not limited to, sawdust, wood chips, bark, slabs, or logs originating from their points of origin to first market; or (d) Supplies, materials, or equipment necessary to carry out a farming operation engaged in the production of agricultural crop products, meats, livestock, or
poultry. (3) Vehicles registered under KRS 186.050(4)(b) that are engaged exclusively in the transportation of items listed in subsection (2)(a), (b), and (c) of this section may
exceed the gross weight provisions set forth in subsection (1)(c) of this section by a
weight tolerance of ten percent (10%), except on the interstate highway system. (4) Vehicles exclusively engaged in the transportation of motor vehicles, unmanufactured tobacco, or unmanufactured tobacco products may, on those
highways which are a part of the state-maintained system and which have been
designated by the secretary of the Transportation Cabinet by official order as safely
allowing same, attain the maximum lengths as provided by subsection (1)(b) of this
section, excluding the usual and ordinary bumper overhang of the transported
vehicles. (5) Vehicles engaged exclusively in the transportation of farm or primary forestry products and registered under KRS 186.050(4) or 186.050(9) and vehicles engaged
exclusively in the transportation of ready-mixed concrete shall be excluded from the
axle weight provisions, except on interstate highways, and subject only to total
gross weight provisions. (6) Vehicles registered pursuant to KRS 186.050(3)(b) and engaged in the transportation of primary forest products, including, but not limited to, vehicles
transporting sawdust, wood chips, bark, slabs, or logs, may exceed the axle, or gross
weight provisions as set forth in accordance with subsection (1)(c) of this section by
a weight tolerance of ten percent (10%), except on the interstate highway system. (7) Vehicles designed for and engaged exclusively in the collection and hauling of refuse and registered under KRS 186.050(3)(b) shall be excluded from the axle
weight provisions, except when in operation on the federal interstate system, and
subject only to total gross weight provisions. (8) The secretary of the Transportation Cabinet may by order increase the weight and height limits prescribed by this chapter for motor vehicles while being operated
exclusively on roads or highways being constructed, reconstructed, or repaired
under contract with the Transportation Cabinet by the contractor or subcontractor,
agent, or employee thereof. (9) Except as otherwise provided in this chapter, the secretary of the Transportation Cabinet shall not authorize the operation of any vehicle or combination of vehicles,
upon any part of the federal aid highway system or state parkway system, which
exceeds the following dimensions and weights:
(a) Width, one hundred two (102) inches, including any part of the body or load;
(b) Weight, twenty thousand (20,000) pounds per single axle, with axles less than forty-two (42) inches apart to be considered as a single axle; thirty-four
thousand (34,000) pounds on two (2) axles in tandem arrangement which are
spaced forty-two (42) inches or more apart and less than ninety-six (96) inches
apart; forty-eight thousand (48,000) pounds on three (3) axles which are
spaced forty-two (42) inches or more apart and less than one hundred twenty
(120) inches apart. The total gross weight of the vehicle and load shall not
exceed eighty thousand (80,000) pounds. If any federal law or laws or
regulations thereunder are hereafter enacted authorizing weights and
dimensions in excess of those set out in paragraphs (a) and (b) of this
subsection, the secretary of the Transportation Cabinet may by official order
increase the maximum weights and dimensions but the increased weights and
dimensions shall not exceed those set out in this section. (10) Except on the interstate highway system, vehicles engaged exclusively in the transportation of crushed stone, fill dirt and rock, soil, bulk sand, coal, phosphate
muck, asphalt, concrete, solid waste, tankage or animal residues, livestock, and
agricultural products shall be permitted a tolerance of ten percent (10%) of the axle
weight provisions before a carrier is deemed to have violated paragraph (1)(c) of
this section. (11) The Transportation Cabinet may promulgate administrative regulations pursuant to KRS Chapter 13A, relating to the implementation of 23 C.F.R. Part 658 as it relates
to state-maintained or locally maintained roads. The enforcement of the provisions
of KRS 189.221 and this section on locally maintained roads shall not be the
responsibility of the law enforcement officers of the Transportation Cabinet, unless
the head of the corresponding local government unit has requested, in writing,
enforcement assistance from the Transportation Cabinet. Effective: June 25, 2009
History: Amended 2009 Ky. Acts ch. 34, sec. 1, effective June 25, 2009. -- Amended 2003 Ky. Acts ch. 30, sec. 1, effective June 24, 2003; and ch. 124, sec. 36, effective
June 24, 2003. -- Amended 1994 Ky. Acts ch. 111, sec. 1, effective July 15, 1994.