HomeMy WebLinkAboutResolution 06-262-CCBOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
Grant County, Washingfion
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. 2006-�(��=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 dest�oyed 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 Crrant 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
3.
4.
WHEREAS, an RESOLUTION has been proposed with the following sections:
Declaration of purpose
Scope and construction of terms
Definitions
Emergency load liinitations
Special permits for authorized vehicles
Maximum speed permitted on posted roads
Penalty
Action for damage
Savings
NOW, THEREFOR�, pursuant to RCW 46.44.080, BE IT HEREBY ORD�IINED by the
Board oF County Commissioners of Grant County, as follows:
SECTION 1 DECLA.RATION 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;
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B. �stablish special load limitations for school buses, motor trucics t� ansporting perishable corninodities
02• corrunodities 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 Or TERMS.
The definitions in this ordinance shall control the meaning of terins 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 tenn 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, or ambulance 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 worlcs, 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.
F. "Trucic" ineans any motor vehicle designed or used for the transportation of commodities,
merchandise, produce, freight, aniinals, or other things.
G. "Perishable coinmodity" means a product of agriculture, aquaculture, or manufacture, which by its
nature is subject to dest�uction, decay, deterioration, or spoilage axcept under proper conditions.
H. "Person" means every natural person, firm, co partnership, corporation, association, or organization.
I. "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" ineans every motor vehicle used regularly to t�ansport children to and froin 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 cai�riers in urban t�ansportation of
school children.
K. "Service necessary for health and welfare" means any service provided to the public that is necessary
to maintain essential power, gas, communications, garbage, sewer, and water services for the public.
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L, "Tire width" means, in the case of pneumatic tires, the maximuin 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 by
which 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 Widtl�
*7.00
7.50
8.25
9.00
10.00
**11.00
* And Under
* * And Over
Gross Load Each
Tire
18001bs.
1800 lbs.
19001bs.
22501bs.
27501bs.
30001bs.
Tubeless or Special Pneumatic Tires
With .5 Marlcin�
Tire Width
*8-22.5
9-22.5
10.22.5
11-22.5
11-24.5
** 12-22.5
Gross Load Each
Tire
18001bs.
19001bs.
2250 lbs,
2750 lbs.
27501bs.
30001bs.
B. The emergency load limitations imposed by this section shall becorne 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 res�ricted 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)
�2)
(3)
(4)
School buses (no permit required).
Milk trucics with dual tires on rear axles and on trailers.
Trucics hauling perishable commodities. To obtain a pennit, drivers must show proof that
at least fifty percent (50%) of their load is fresh produce and/or perishables.
Garbage vehicles malcing picicups required for health, e.g., schools, hospitals, and
institutions.
Dead animal services required for health reasons.
Vehicles or emergency equipment vendors hauling medical supplies (gases, drugs, etc.)
Feed trucics - one trip basis only.
Fuel trucics - one trip basis only, allowed to haul %2loads on emergency basis.
Vehicles engaged in septic tanlc pumping - emergency basis, one trip only.
Public t�ransportation vehicles.
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A pernlit issued to a vehicle in one of the classes of vehicles listed in Section SA shall be subject to
the following conditions:
(1) The gross weight of such vehicle shall not exceed the ainount detei7nined by multiplying the
total nuinber of tires concent�ated upon the surface of the road times the maximum
allowable gross weight per tire.
(2) No allowance shall be m�de for any second gear axle suspended from the frame of the
vehicle independent of the regular driving ax1e, otherwise lcnown 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 tliat it will not load the tires on
said axle in e�ccess of the prescribed load, as set forth above, and any loading in excess of
the specified maximtun 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 lawfiilly handle the designated weight.
(6) The special permit shall be clearly displayed in the lower right hand corner of the vehicles's
windshield while n7oving on any rest�icted county road.
The following limits on vehicle weights sha11 apply to vehicles receiving permits under Section 5:
Conventional Pneumatic Tires
Tire Width Gross Load Each
Tire
*7.00 18001bs.
7.50 18001bs.
8,25 19001bs.
9.00 22501bs.
10.00 27501bs.
* * 11.00 30001bs.
* And Under
* * And Over
Tubeless or Special Pneumatic Tires
With .5 Marlcin�
Tire Width
* 8-22.5
9-22.5
10-22.5
11-22.5
11-24.5
* * 12-22.5
Gross Load Each
Tire
18001bs.
19001bs.
22501bs.
2750 lbs,
27501bs.
30001bs.
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 ( l 0,0001bs.) 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 (5,2501bs.) per tire.
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, subj ect to specified times and routes
of movement needed to protect the county roads from serious damage,
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SEC"CION 6 MAX.TMUM SPEI;D P�;EZMITTED ON POSTED ROADS.
Except whe.ra applicable law specifi.es a lawer speed, the County Engineer n�ay post a reduced speed lin�it
as low as ihirty-five miles per haur (35 M.P.H.) upon any county raad under emer�;ency load liznitations,
SECTION 7 PEN�.LTY.
Any person vialatillg ai�y emergency load lin�itatian on a caunty z•aad duriz�g a Ioad sensitive periad sh�ll be
in violation of this Resolutian. A violatiat� of this Resalt�tian shall constitute a traffic infractiox� uncler the
pravisiarls af RCW 46.44.105, RCW 46.44.100, and RCW 46.44.080, sul�j ccting the violator to the manetary
�enalties provided ix1 RCW 46.4� and RCW 46.61.
SECTIC?N 8 ACTIt�N FOR DAIVIAGES.
Any person operating a motor veliicle L�pon at�y county raad ix� violation of any pz•ovision af tllis Resolutian
shall be liable uncler RCW 46.44.110 ai�d RCW 46.44.12Q for any damr�ge caused to such coutsty road as the
result of sLxch violation.
SLCTION 9 SAVINGS
If any provisian of this Resolution or its application to any persan or circumstance is held invalid, the
remainder nf the Resolution or the application fo the provision to ather persons or circumstanccs sha11 not
be affected.
NCJW TT3ERE�012E BT IT IZESOT,VED, tl�is Resolution is passed and adoptecl and shal.l be
effective and enforced on antl after t11e Sth Day of December ,
2006 , azld sha11 be published in the official Caunty newspaper.
DATEL7 this �'�'�t day of �PG , 2446.
Yea Nay Abstaii�
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BOARD C�F CCIUNTY COMMI�SIONERS
GRANT CQUNTY, WASHINGT4N
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Riclaard Stevens, Chair
LeRoy
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