HomeMy WebLinkAboutResolution 03-008-CCBOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
Grant County, Washington
A RESOLUTION GOVERNING EMERGENCY
LOAD LIMITATIONS ON COUNTY ROADS,
THE ISSUANCE OF SPECIAL MOTOR
VEHICLE PERMITS TO USE ON WEIGHT
RESTRICTED COUNTY ROADS, AND FIXING
PENALTIES FOR VIOLATIONS THEREOF
Resolution No. 2003 -008 -CC
WHEREAS, pursuant to RCW 36.75.270 and 46.44.080, Grant County may
prohibit or restrict vehicle operations or vehicle weight whenever any county road, by
reason of rain, snow, climatic, or other conditions, will be seriously damaged or destroyed
unless the operation of vehicles thereon is prohibited or restricted or their permissible
weights reduced (such periods hereafter referred to as 'load sensitive periods"); and
WHEREAS, the Board of County Commissioners of Grant County,
Washington, upon recommendation of the County Engineer, has deemed it advisable to
place certain restrictions on various county roads during load sensitive periods to protect
such roadways from extensive damage; and
WHEREAS, an RESOLUTION has been proposed with the following
sections:
1. Declaration of purpose
2. Scope and construction of terms
3. Definitions
4. Emergency load limitations
5. Special permits for authorized vehicles
6. Maximum speed permitted on posted roads
7. Penalty
8. Action for damage
9. Savings
NOW, THEREFORE, pursuant to RCW 46.44.080, BE IT HEREBY
ORDAINED by the Board of County Commissioners of Grant County, as follows:
SECTION 1 DECLARATION OF PURPOSE.
It is hereby declared that the policy of the Board of County Commissioners it to:
A. Establish general emergency load limitations upon county roads during load
sensitive periods;
B. Establish special load limitations for school buses, motor trucks transporting
perishable commodities or commodities necessary to the health and welfare of
county residents, and motor vehicles providing services necessary for health and
welfare, when such emergency load limitations are in effect.
C. Request the Washington State Patrol's assistance with weight control enforcement.
SECTION 2 SCOPE AND CONSTRUCTION OF TERMS.
The definitions in this ordinance shall control the meaning of terms used herein. Where
no definition is expressly stated herein, a term shall have that meaning clearly indicated
by, or reasonably implied from, the context in which such term is used.
SECTION 3 DEFINITIONS.
A. "Authorized Emergency Vehicle" means any vehicle of any fire department, police
department, sheriff's office, coroner, prosecuting attorney, Washington State Patrol,
orambulance service, public or private, which need not be classified, registered, or
authorized by the State Patrol.
B. "Commodity necessary for health and welfare" means anything provided to the
public that is necessary to provide essential shelter, food, or fuel to people and
animals.
C. "County Engineer" means the county engineer, the county director of public works,
or his/her designee.
D. "County Road" means every public highway or part thereof, outside the limits of
cities and towns, and which has not been designated as a state highway.
E. "Gross Weight" means the total vehicle weight including load.
"Truck" means any motor vehicle designed or used for the transportation of
commodities, merchandise, produce, freight, animals, or other things.
G. "Perishable commodity" means a product of agriculture, aquaculture, or
manufacture, which by its nature is subject to destruction, decay, deterioration, or
spoilage except under proper conditions.
H. "Person" means every natural person, firm, co partnership, corporation, association,
or organization.
"Pneumatic tire" means every tire of rubber or other resilient material designated to
be inflated with compressed air to support the load thereon.
"School bus" means every motor vehicle used regularly to transport children to and
from school or in connection with school activities, which is subject to the
requirements set forth in the most recent edition of "Specifications for School
Buses' published by the State Superintendent of Public Instruction, but does not
include buses operated by common carriers in urban transportation of school
children.
K. "Service necessary for health and welfare
that is necessary to maintain essential
sewer, and water services for the public.
means any service provided to the public
power, gas, communications, garbage,
"Tire width" means, in the case of pneumatic tires, the maximum overall normal
inflated width, as stipulated by the manufacturer, when installed to the pressure
specified and without load thereon.
M. "Vehicle" means every device capable of being moved upon a public highway and
in, upon, or bywhich any person or property is or may be transported or drawn upon
a public highway.
SECTION 4 EMERGENCY LOAD LIMITATION
A. When the County Engineer determines that, during load sensitive periods, vehicles
whose gross tire loads exceed those described in this section will seriously damage
or destroy a county road, the County Engineer may impose the following limits on
vehicle weights, except for authorized emergency vehicles.
Conventional Pneumatic Tires
Tire Width
Gross Load Each
10.22.5
Tire
'7.00
1800 lbs.
7.50
1800 lbs.
8.25
1900 lbs.
9.00
2250 lbs.
10.00
2750 lbs.
"11.00
3000 lbs.
And Under
And Over
Tubeless or Special Pneumatic Tires
With .5 Marking
Tire Width Gross Load Each
Tire
"8-22.5 1800 lbs.
9-22.5
1900 lbs.
10.22.5
2250 lbs.
11-22.5
2750 lbs.
11-24.5
2750 lbs.
"12-22.5
3000 lbs.
B. The emergency load limitations imposed bythis section shall become effective upon
the erection and maintenance by the County engineer of signs designating the load
limitations (visible to the operator of a vehicle as he/she enters the restricted area),
and shall remain in effect until the load sensitive period ends and such signs are
removed by the County Engineer. The following limitations shall not exceed a
period of 120 days from the effective date below.
SECTION 5 SPECIAL PERMITS FOR AUTHORIZED VEHICLES
A. In accordance with RCW 46.44.092 and RCW46.44.093, the County Road
Supervisors are authorized, during load sensitive periods, to issue special permits
for the operation (upon any county road within the county) of a vehicle or
combination of vehicles exceeding the maximum loads specified in Section 4 above,
to the following classes of vehicles:
(1) School buses (no permit required).
(2) Milk trucks with dual tires on rear axles and on trailers.
1
P
(3) Trucks hauling perishable commodities. To obtain a permit, drivers must
show proof that at least fifty percent (50%) of their load is fresh produce
and/or perishables.
(4) Garbage vehicles making pickups required for health, e.g., schools,
hospitals, and institutions.
(5) Dead animal services required for health reasons.
(6) Vehicles or emergency equipment vendors hauling medical supplies (gases,
drugs, etc.)
(7) Feed trucks - one trip basis only.
(8) Fuel trucks - one trip basis only, allowed to haul '/2 loads on emergency
basis.
(9) Vehicles engaged in septic tank pumping - emergency basis, one trip only.
(10) Public transportation vehicles.
A permit issued to a vehicle in one of the classes of vehicles listed in Section 5A
shall be subject to the following conditions:
(1) The gross weight of such vehicle shall not exceed the amount determined by
multiplying the total number of tires concentrated upon the surface of the
road times the maximum allowable gross weight per tire.
(2) No allowance shall be made for any second gear axle suspended from the
frame ofthe vehicle independent of the regulardriving axle, otherwise known
as "rigid tail -axles" or "drop axles".
(3) Allowance will be made for single tires only on the front of a vehicle.
(4) The load distribution on any axle of a vehicle shall be such that it will not load
the tires on said axle in excess of the prescribed load, as set forth above,
and any loading in excess of the specified maximum will be considered a
violation of this Ordinance.
(5) In an attempt to comply with requirements of this section, the power unit of
any combination shall be sufficiently designed to lawfully handle the
designated weight.
(6) The special permit shall be clearly displayed in the lower right hand corner
of the vehicles's windshield while moving on any restricted county road.
The following limits on vehicle weights shall apply to vehicles receiving permits
under Section 5:
Conventional Pneumatic Tires
Tire Width
Gross Load Each
*8-22.5
Tire
*7.00
1800 lbs.
7.50
1800 lbs.
8.25
1900 lbs.
9.00
2250 lbs.
10.00
2750 lbs.
**11.00
3000 lbs.
* And Under
** And Over
Tubeless or Special Pneumatic Tires
With .5 Marking
Tire Width Gross Load Each
Tire
*8-22.5
1800 lbs.
9-22.5
1900 lbs.
10-22.5
2250 lbs.
11-22.5
2750 lbs.
11-24.5
2750 lbs.
**12-22.5
3000 lbs.
If a vehicle has ten inch (10") or wider tires on the front axle and otherwise qualifies
for a permit, the vehicle may be allowed to have ten thousand pounds (10,000 lbs.)
gross weight on said front axle under emergency load limitations.
Tires over eleven inches (11 ") in width may be issued a special permit for loads of
three thousand pounds (3,000 lbs.) plus four hundred pounds (400 lbs.) per inch of
tire in excess of eleven inches (11"), up to five thousand two hundred fifty founds
(5,250 lbs.) per tire.
D. Any vehicle requiring a special permit under Section 5 shall not exceed thirty-five
miles per hour (35 M.P.H.) on any county road subject to emergency load
limitations.
E. Where a specific hardship occurs, variances from these special permit weight
limitations may, at the discretion of the County Engineer, be issued on a case-by-
case basis. Such variance permits may allow a vehicle to exceed the gross weight
limits of this section, subject to specified times and routes of movement needed to
protect the county roads from serious damage.
SECTION 6 MAXIMUM SPEED PERMITTED ON POSTED ROADS.
Except where applicable law specifies a lower speed, the County Engineer may post a
reduced speed limit as low as thirty-five miles per hour (35 M.P.H.) upon any county road
under emergency load limitations.
SECTION 7 PENALTY.
Any person violating any emergency load limitation on a county road during a load
sensitive period shall be in violation of this Resolution. A violation of this Resolution shall
constitute a traffic infraction underthe provisions of RCW 46.44.105, RCW 46.44.100, and
RCW 46.44.080, subjecting the violator to the monetary penalties provided in RCW 46.44
and RCW 46.61.
SECTION 8 ACTION FOR DAMAGES
Any person operating a motor vehicle upon any county road in violation of any provision
of this Resolution shall be liable under RCW 46.44.110 and RCW 46.44.120 for any
damage caused to such county road as the result of such violation.
SECTION 9 SAVINGS
If any provision of this Resolution or its application to any person or circumstance is held
invalid, the remainder of the Resolution orthe application fo the provision to other persons
or circumstances shall not be affected.
NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, this Resolution is passed and adopted and
shall be effective and enforced on and after the 22nd Day of January
2003 , and shall be published in the official County newspaper.
DONE THIS —2-7?vd DAY OF u' 2003.
Chair
tom.
Member
Member
ATTEST: " io 4&
Clerk of the Board
Constituting the Board of County Commissioners
of Grant County, Washington