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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'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) 1.
Height, for vehicles transporting motor vehicles, fourteen (14) feet;
and
2.
Height, for all other vehicles, 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)
(2)
(3)
(4)
(5)
(6)
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.
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. As used in
this paragraph and in paragraph (d) of this subsection, "livestock" means
cattle, sheep, swine, goats, horses, alpacas, llamas, buffaloes, or any
other animals of the bovine, ovine, porcine, caprine, equine, or camelid
species;
(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.
Vehicles registered under KRS 186.050 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.
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.
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.
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, feed for livestock or poultry, 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 29, 2017
History: Amended 2017 Ky. Acts ch. 8, sec. 1, effective June 29, 2017; ch. 129,
sec. 10, effective June 29, 2017; ch. 146, sec. 3, effective June 29, 2017; and
ch. 146, sec. 9, effective June 29, 2017. -- 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. Amended 1992 Ky. Acts ch.
132, sec. 2, effective July 14, 1992. -- Amended 1990 Ky. Acts ch. 71, sec. 1,
effective July 13, 1990; and ch. 179, sec. 1, effective July 13, 1990. -- Amended
1984 Ky. Acts ch. 393, sec. 1, effective July 13, 1984. -- Amended 1982 Ky.
Acts ch. 85, sec. 1, effective July 15, 1982. -- Amended 1980 Ky. Acts ch. 39,
sec. 3, effective July 15, 1980. -- Amended 1974 Ky. Acts ch. 368, sec. 1. -Amended 1972 Ky. Acts ch. 150, sec. 1. -- Amended 1966 Ky. Acts ch. 261,
sec. 1. -- Amended 1964 Ky. Acts ch. 95, sec. 3. -- Amended 1962 Ky. Acts ch.
108, sec. 1. -- Amended 1960 Ky. Acts ch. 254, sec. 2. -- Amended 1958 Ky.
Acts ch. 70, sec. 29. -- Amended 1956 (2nd Extra. Sess.) Ky. Acts ch. 1, sec. 2.
-- Created 1950 Ky. Acts ch. 115, sec. 3.
Legislative Research Commission Note (6/29/2017). This statute was amended
by 2017 Ky. Acts chs. 8, 129, and 146, which do not appear to be in conflict and
have been codified together.
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