REVISE HIGHWAY WEIGHT RESTRICTIONS
House Bill 5337
Sponsor: Rep. Judson Gilbert
Committee: Transportation
Complete to 10-26-01
A SUMMARY OF HOUSE BILL 5337 AS INTRODUCED 10-24-01
House Bill 5337 would amend the Michigan Vehicle Code to revise the weight restrictions on highways for some trucks.
Currently under the law, when the maximum gross weight of a combination of vehicles with load does not exceed 73,280 pounds, two tandem axle assemblies are permitted on certain highways, at a gross permissible weight of 16,000 pounds per axle, if there is no other axle within 9 feet of any axle of the assembly. House Bill 5337 would eliminate the maximum weight of 73,280 pounds and specify instead, that "on a combination of truck tractor and semi-trailer having not more than five axles, two consecutive" tandem axle assemblies would be permitted on highways at a gross permissible weight of 16,000 pounds per axle, if there is no other axle within nine feet of any axle of the assembly.
Further, the bill specifies that notwithstanding this provision, on a combination of truck tractor and semi-trailer having five or fewer axles, two consecutive sets of tandem axles would be allowed to carry a gross permissible weight not to exceed 17,000 pounds on any axle of the tandem axles, if there were no other axle within nine feet, and if the first and last axles were not less than 36 feet apart, and the gross vehicle weight did not exceed 80,000 pounds. This provision would apply in order to pick up and deliver cargo between the National Truck Network, or special designated highways and any other highway by the shortest possible route. House Bill 5337 further specifies that this provision would not be subject to the maximum axle loads under the code, and it would not apply during the period when maximum loads were in effect. (Under Michigan law, during the months of March, April, and May of each year, axle loads must be reduced either 25 percent or 35 percent, depending on the road surface). For purposes of the bill, a "tandem axle" is defined to mean two axles spaced more than 40 inches but not more than 96 inches apart, or two axles spaced more than 31/2 feet but less than 9 feet apart.
Finally, House Bill 5337 would remove the "sunset" dates in three provisions under this section of the code. During the last legislative session, Public Act 6 of 2000 (Senate Bill 46) was enacted to exempt from local seasonal weight restrictions, an agricultural commodity hauler who notified the appropriate county road commission of a pick up or delivery, and who obtained a permit that included a designated route of travel for the load, the date and time of the delivery or pick up, a maximum speed limit of travel, and other considerations agreed to between the hauler and county road commission. These provisions in the new law are scheduled to "sunset" on April 1, 2002. House Bill 5337 would eliminate the "sunset" dates.
MCL 257.722
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This analysis was prepared by nonpartisan House staff for use by House members in their deliberations, and does not constitute an official statement of legislative intent.