Current through Register Vol. 50, No. 9, March 1, 2024
RELATES TO:
KRS
189.222(10), 23 C.F.R.
658
NECESSITY, FUNCTION, AND CONFORMITY:
KRS
189.222(10) authorizes the
Secretary of Transportation to establish reasonable weight (mass) limits for
trucks using the state maintained highway system. This administrative
regulation prescribes the maximum weight (mass) limits for each classification
of roads in accordance with state and federal laws. These weights may only be
exceeded if an overweight permit has been issued for the operation of a motor
vehicle by the Transportation Cabinet.
Section
1. Highway Classifications and Truck Types.
(1) Trucking highways. All state maintained
roads are assigned a classification in
603
KAR 5:301. Unless the motor vehicle being operated has
been issued an overdimensional permit by the Transportation Cabinet, the
maximum allowable gross weight (mass) for each classification shall be as
follows:
(a) Class "AAA" shall have a maximum
allowable gross weight (mass) of 80,000 pounds (36,287.36 kilograms).
(b) Class "AA" shall have a maximum allowable
gross weight (mass) of 62,000 pounds (28,122.70 kilograms).
(c) Class "A" shall have a maximum allowable
gross weight (mass) of 44,000 pounds (20,090.05 kilograms).
(2) Truck types. For the purpose
of posting bridges at the site and for listing bridge weight (mass)
restrictions in this administrative regulation, the following truck types shall
be used:
(a) Type 1. This shall be a single
unit truck consisting of two (2) single axles.
(b) Type 2. This shall be a single unit truck
consisting of one (1) steering axle and two (2) axles in tandem
arrangement.
(c) Type 3. This shall
be a truck consisting of one (1) steering axle and three (3) axles in tridem
arrangement.
(d) Type 4. This shall
be a tractor-semitrailer combination truck consisting of five (5) or more
axles.
(3) Trucks with
an axle combination not covered in subsection (2) of this section may be
restricted by weight (mass) based on their axle spacing and weight (mass)
distribution per axle in accordance with state and federal law. Information on
those restrictions shall be available from the Division of Motor Carriers,
Overweight and Overdimensional Permit Section.
Section 2. "AAA" Highways Except Interstates.
The maximum weight (mass) limits for trucks using Class "AAA" highways, except
the Interstate System, shall be as follows:
(1) Gross weight (mass), including load,
shall not exceed 80,000 pounds (36,287.36 kilograms);
(2) Tire weight (force). The weight (force)
transmitted to the pavement shall not exceed the product of 700 pounds (317.51
kilograms) times the aggregate width in inches (meters) established from the
manufacturer's stamped tire measurement for all tires;
(3) On Class "AAA" highways if a structure or
bridge has a posted load limit of less than 80,000 pounds (36,287.36
kilograms), the posted limit shall not be exceeded.
Section 3. Interstate Highways. The maximum
weight (mass) limits for trucks using Class "AAA" highways which are a part of
the Interstate System shall be as established in this section:
(1) Gross weight (mass), including load,
shall not exceed 80,000 pounds (36,287.36 kilograms).
(2) Gross axle weight (mass) for a single
axle shall not exceed 20,000 pounds (9071.84 kilograms) (with axles less than
forty-two (42) inches (1.07 meters) apart to be considered as a single
axle).
(3) Gross weight (mass)
shall not exceed 34,000 pounds (15,422.13 kilograms) on two (2) axles in tandem
arrangement which are spaced forty-two (42) inches (1.07 meters) or more apart
and ninety-six (96) inches (2.44 meters) or less apart.
(4) Gross weight (mass) shall not exceed
34,000 pounds (15,422.13 kilograms) on three (3) axles in tridem arrangement if
the distance between the centers of one (1) and three (3) is ninety-six (96)
inches (2.44 meters) or less.
(5)
Gross weight (mass) shall not exceed 48,000 pounds (21,772.42 kilograms) on
three (3) axles in tridem arrangement if the distance between the centers of
axles one (1) and three (3) is more than ninety-six (96) inches (2.44 meters)
but less than 120 inches (3.05 meters), and the distance between any two (2)
adjacent axles of the tridem is forty-two (42) inches (1.07 meters) or more,
and the gross weight (mass) of the vehicle is less than or equal to 73,280
pounds (33,239.22 kilograms).
(6)
The maximum gross weight (mass) allowed on two (2) consecutive sets of tandem
axles shall be 34,000 pounds (15,422.13 kilograms) each, if the distance
between the first and last axles of the consecutive sets of axles is thirty-six
(36) feet (10.98 meters) or more.
(7) The maximum gross weight (mass) allowed
on a vehicle with any other axle configuration shall be established by the
bridge weight formula:
W = 500 (LN/N-1 + 12N + 36)
Where W equals gross weight, L equals distance in feet between
the extreme axles of the group of consecutive axles under consideration and N
equals the number of axles in the group. The load on any single axle in any
arrangement shall not exceed 20,000 pounds (9071.84 kilograms) and the gross
weight (mass) shall not exceed 80,000 pounds (36,287.36 kilograms). Any axle
which is not included in one (1) of the combinations set forth in this
subsection shall be steer-able.
(8) Tire weight (force). The weight (force)
transmitted to the pavement shall not exceed the product of 700 pounds (317.51
kilograms) times the aggregate width in inches (meters) established from the
manufacturer's stamped tire measurement of all tires.
(9) On Class "AAA" highways which are part of
the interstate system if a structure or bridge has a posted load limit of less
than 80,000 pounds (36,287.36 kilograms), the posted limit shall not be
exceeded.
(10) Tolerances shall not
be allowed on gross weight (mass), axle weight (mass), or combinations of axle
weights (mass) on vehicles operating over a Class "AAA" highway which is a part
of the Interstate System.
Section
4. "AA" Highways. The maximum weight (mass) for trucks using Class
"AA" highways shall be as established in this section:
(1) Gross weight (mass), including load,
shall not exceed 62,000 pounds (28,122.7 kilograms).
(2) Gross axle weight (mass) for a single
axle shall not exceed 20,000 pounds (9071.84 kilograms) (with axles less than
forty-two (42) inches (1.07 meters) apart to be considered as a single
axle).
(3) Gross weight (mass)
shall not exceed 34,000 pounds (15,422.13 kilograms) on two (2) axles in tandem
arrangement which are spaced forty-two (42) inches (1.07 meters) or more apart
and ninety-six (96) inches (2.44 meters) or less apart.
(4) Gross weight (mass) shall not exceed
34,000 pounds (15,422.13 kilograms) on three (3) axles in tridem arrangement if
the distance between the centers of axles one (1) and three (3) is ninety-six
(96) inches (2.44 meters) or less.
(5) Gross weight (mass) shall not exceed
48,000 pounds (21,772.42 kilometers) on three (3) axles in tridem arrangement
if the distance between axles one (1) and three (3) is more than ninety-six
(96) inches (2.44 meters) but less than 120 inches (3.05 meters) apart and the
distance between any two (2) adjacent axles of the tridem is forty-two (42)
inches (1.07 meters) or more.
(6)
Tire weight (force). The weight (force) transmitted to the pavement shall not
exceed 700 pounds (317.51 kilograms) times the aggregate width in inches
(meters) established from the manufacturer's stamped tire measurement of all
tires.
(7) On Class "AA" highways
if a structure or bridge has a posted load limit of less than 62,000 pounds
(28,122.7 kilograms), the posted limit shall not be exceeded.
(8) The maximum gross weight (mass) allowed
on a vehicle with any other axle configuration shall be established by the
bridge weight formula:
W = 500 (LN/N-1 + 12N + 36)
Where W equals gross weight, L equals distance in feet between
the extreme axles of the group of consecutive axles under consideration and N
equals the number of axles in the group. The load on any single axle in any
arrangement shall not exceed 20,000 pounds (9071.84 kilograms) and the gross
weight (mass) shall not exceed 62,000 pounds (28,122.7 kilograms). Any axle
which is not included in one (1) of the combinations set forth in this
subsection shall be steer-able.
Section 5. "A" Highways. The maximum weight
(mass) limit for trucks using Class "A" highways shall be as established in
this section:
(1) Gross weight (mass),
including load, shall not exceed 44,000 pounds (20,090.05 kilograms).
(2) Gross axle weight (mass) for a single
axle shall not exceed 20,000 pounds (9071.84 kilograms) (with axles less than
forty-two (42) inches (1.07 meters) apart to be considered as a single
axle).
(3) Gross weight shall not
exceed 34,000 pounds (15,422.13 kilograms) on two (2) axles in tandem
arrangement which are spaced forty-two (42) inches (1.07 meters) or more apart
and ninety-six (96) inches (2.44 meters) or less apart.
(4) Tire weight (force). The weight (force)
transmitted to the pavement shall not exceed the product of 700 pounds (317.51
kilograms) times the aggregate width in inches (meters) established from the
manufacturer's stamped tire measurement of all tires.
(5) On Class "A" highways if a structure or
bridge has a posted load limit of less than 44,000 pounds (20,090.05
kilograms), the posted limit shall not be exceeded.
(6) The maximum gross weight (mass) allowed
on a vehicle with any other axle configuration shall be established by the
bridge weight formula:
W = 500 (LN/N-1 + 12N + 36)
Where W equals gross weight, L equals distance in feet between
the extreme axles of the group of consecutive axles under consideration and N
equals the number of axles in the group. The load on any single axle in any
arrangement shall not exceed 20,000 pounds (9071.84 kilograms) and the gross
weight (mass) shall not exceed 44,000 pounds (20,090.05 kilograms). Any axle
which is not included in one (1) of the combinations set forth in this
subsection shall be steerable.
Section 6. Tolerance. There shall not be a
tolerance allowed on gross weight (mass), however, a tolerance of not more than
five (5) percent shall be allowed on axle weight (mass) on all state-maintained
highways which are not a part of the interstate system.
Section 7.
(1) As long as a highway remains a part of
the state-maintained system, as established in
603 KAR
3:030, the classification of that highway in
603
KAR 5:301 shall constitute a designation by the
Secretary of Transportation as contemplated by
KRS
189.280.
(2) City ordinances which impose less
stringent limits than this administrative regulation shall not apply to the
state-maintained highways, including bridges, unless specific relinquishment of
this responsibility to a city is made by the Secretary of
Transportation.
STATUTORY AUTHORITY:
KRS
174.080,
189.222,
23 C.F.R. 658
