Rhode Island Code of Regulations
Title 290 - Department of Transportation
Chapter 40 - Infrastructure and Safety
Subchapter 00 - NA
Part 1 - Rules and Regulations Regarding Overweight and Oversize Vehicle Permits
Section 290-RICR-40-00-1.2 - Purpose

A. The purpose of this manual is to establish a standard operating procedure for the application and issuance of oversize and overweight vehicle and load permits that will insure the structural integrity of our highway system and also make it available for movement of commodities that can be reasonably transported along our highways.

B. Where the statutory weight or dimensions for oversize or overweight vehicles or loads are exceeded, the Rhode Island Department of Transportation may issue additional nondivisible load permits for travel on state highways in Rhode Island only when other forms of transportation are not available and the size and or weight does not exceed that suggested by the Office of the Chief Engineer, Division of Public Works and the authorized personnel.

C. These nondivisible load permits will be issued for the purpose of permitting the necessary transportation of units which are excessively long, wide, high or heavy, but only where sound engineering judgement warrants issuance after careful study and review of bridge structures and clearances, traffic safety, roadway width, possible damage to roadway surfaces and weather and road conditions. The standard operating procedure for the application and issuance of nondivisible load permits is enumerated in §§ 1.4, 1.5, and 1.6 of this Part.

D. Divisible load permits may also be issued pursuant to the operational procedure and requirements established in § 1.7 of this Part and are only issued to overweight and not overdimensional vehicles or loads.

E. Any provisions of the following rules to the contrary notwithstanding, no motor vehicle, trailer, semi-trailer, or semi-trailer unit may be operated or permitted to operate on the system of Interstate and Defense highways within this state with a gross vehicle weight or weight per axle such as would preclude this state from receiving Federal Highway Aid funds under Title 23 of the United States Code.