AB185: Bill Text

LRB-1258/1

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2003 - 2004 LEGISLATURE

2003 Assembly BILL 185

March 21, 2003 - Introduced by Representatives Gronemus, Albers, Hahn, Turner, Krawczyk, Bies and Musser, cosponsored by Senators Harsdorf, Schultz and Zien. Referred to Committee on Transportation.

AB185,1,4 An Act to amend 348.15 (3) (bg), 348.15 (3) (br), 348.15 (3) (bv) and 348.15 (3) (e); and to create 348.15 (3) (f) of the statutes; relating to: permitting vehicles that are hauling agricultural manure to exceed weight limits on certain highways.

Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau

Under current law, with limited exceptions, no person may operate upon a highway any vehicle or combination of vehicles that exceeds certain statutory weight limits unless that person obtains a permit issued by the Department of Transportation (DOT). One exception allows a vehicle or a combination of vehicles that is transporting exclusively livestock to operate without a permit on certain highways while exceeding the prescribed per-axle weight limit by up to 15%, if the vehicle or combination of vehicles does not exceed the gross weight limit. A vehicle or combination of vehicles that is transporting exclusively livestock may not operate without a permit on Class B highways or on the national system of interstate and defense highways, except for the portion of I 39 between USH 51 and I 90/94.

This bill allows a vehicle or a combination of vehicles that is transporting agricultural manure to operate without a permit on certain highways while exceeding the prescribed per-axle or gross weight limit by up to 10%. The bill does not allow these vehicles to operate without a permit on Class B highways or on the national system of interstate and defense highways, except for the portion of I 39 between USH 51 and I 90/94.

Because this bill concerns an exception to the vehicle weight limits specified in ch. 348, stats., DOT, as required by law, will prepare a report to be printed as an appendix to this bill.

For further information see the state fiscal estimate, which will be printed as an appendix to this bill.

The people of the state of Wisconsin, represented in senate and assembly, do enact as follows:

AB185, s. 1 Section 1. 348.15 (3) (bg) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB185,2,12 348.15 (3) (bg) In the case of a vehicle or combination of vehicles transporting exclusively milk from the point of production to the primary market and the return of dairy supplies and dairy products from such primary market to the farm, the gross weight imposed on the highway by the wheels of any one axle may not exceed 21,000 pounds or, for 2 axles 8 or less feet apart, 37,000 pounds or, for groups of 3 or more consecutive axles more than 9 feet apart, a weight of 2,000 pounds more than is shown in par. (c), but not to exceed 80,000 pounds. This paragraph does not apply to the national system of interstate and defense highways, except for that portion of USH 51 between Wausau and STH 78 and that portion of STH 78 between USH 51 and the I 90/94 interchange near Portage upon their federal designation as I 39 between USH 51 and I 90/94.

AB185, s. 2 Section 2. 348.15 (3) (br) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB185,3,5 348.15 (3) (br) In the case of a vehicle or combination of vehicles transporting exclusively peeled or unpeeled forest products cut crosswise or in the case of a vehicle or combination of vehicles transporting exclusively scrap metal, the gross weight imposed on the highway by the wheels of any one axle may not exceed 21,500 pounds or, for 2 axles 8 or less feet apart, 37,000 pounds or, for groups of 3 or more consecutive axles more than 9 feet apart, a weight of 4,000 pounds more than is shown in par. (c), but not to exceed 80,000 pounds. This paragraph does not apply to the national system of interstate and defense highways, except for that portion of USH 51 between Wausau and STH 78 and that portion of STH 78 between USH 51 and the I 90/94 interchange near Portage upon their federal designation as I 39 between USH 51 and I 90/94.

AB185, s. 3 Section 3. 348.15 (3) (bv) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB185,3,19 348.15 (3) (bv) In the case of a vehicle or combination of vehicles used primarily for the transportation of septage, as defined in s. 281.49 (1) (a), the gross weight imposed on the highway by the wheels of any one axle may not exceed 21,500 pounds or, for 2 axles 8 or less feet apart, 37,000 pounds or, for groups of 3 or more consecutive axles more than 9 feet apart, a weight of 4,000 pounds more than is shown in par. (c) or, for groups of 4 or more consecutive axles more than 10 feet apart, a weight of 6,000 pounds more than is shown in par. (c) or, for groups of 5 or more consecutive axles more than 14 feet apart, a weight of 7,000 pounds more than is shown in par. (c), but not to exceed 80,000 pounds. This paragraph does not apply to the national system of interstate and defense highways, except for that portion of USH 51 between Wausau and STH 78 and that portion of STH 78 between USH 51 and the I 90/94 interchange near Portage upon their federal designation as I 39 between USH 51 and I 90/94.

AB185, s. 4 Section 4. 348.15 (3) (e) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB185,4,5 348.15 (3) (e) Notwithstanding pars. (a), (b), and (c), in the case of a vehicle or combination of vehicles transporting exclusively livestock, the gross weight imposed on the highway by the wheels of any one axle or axle group may exceed the applicable weight limitation specified in pars. (a), (b), and (c) by 15% if the gross weight of the vehicle or combination of vehicles does not exceed the maximum gross weight specified for that vehicle or combination of vehicles under par. (c). This paragraph does not apply to the national system of interstate and defense highways, except for that portion of USH 51 between Wausau and STH 78 and that portion of STH 78 between USH 51 and the I 90/94 interchange near Portage upon their federal designation as I 39 between USH 51 and I 90/94.

AB185, s. 5 Section 5. 348.15 (3) (f) of the statutes is created to read:

AB185,4,14 348.15 (3) (f) Notwithstanding pars. (a), (b), and (c), in the case of a vehicle or combination of vehicles transporting exclusively agricultural manure, the gross weight imposed on the highway by the wheels of any one axle or axle group may exceed the applicable weight limitation specified in pars. (a), (b), and (c) by 10% if the gross weight of the vehicle or combination of vehicles does not exceed the maximum gross weight specified for that vehicle or combination of vehicles under par. (c) by more than 10%. This paragraph does not apply to the national system of interstate and defense highways, except for that portion of I 39 between USH 51 and I 90/94.

AB185,4,15 (End)