LRB-2906/2
PJH:wlj:rs
2003 - 2004 LEGISLATURE
January 9, 2004 - Introduced by Representatives Ainsworth, Albers, Gronemus,
Gunderson, Hahn, Musser, Owens, Petrowski, Pettis, Seratti, Suder, Olsen

and Ott, cosponsored by Senators Schultz, Harsdorf and Breske. Referred
to Committee on Transportation.
AB743,1,3 1An Act to amend 348.15 (3) (intro.), 348.16 (2) and 348.17 (1); and to create
2348.17 (5) of the statutes; relating to: weight limitations for vehicles
3transporting agricultural crops.
Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau
Current law imposes weight limits on vehicles based on the size of a vehicle.
The Department of Transportation may authorize a vehicle to exceed the weight
limit under certain circumstances, including authorizing a vehicle carrying crops
from field to storage or to a processing facility when the Department of Agriculture,
Trade, and Consumer Protection determines that an agricultural emergency exists.
The authorization to exceed the weight limit does not apply to vehicles operated on
highways designated as parts of 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.
Under this bill, a vehicle or combination of vehicles carrying certain
agricultural crops from the field to initial storage or processing may exceed weight
limits by not more than 15 percent without a permit from September 1 to November
31 of each year. This exception does not apply to vehicles operated on highways
designated as parts of 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.

Because this bill concerns an exception to the vehicle weight limits specified in
ch. 348, stats., the Department of Transportation, as required by law, will prepare
a report to be printed as an appendix to this bill.
The people of the state of Wisconsin, represented in senate and assembly, do
enact as follows:
AB743, s. 1 1Section 1. 348.15 (3) (intro.) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB743,2,52 348.15 (3) (intro.) Subject to any modifications made by a 1st class city under
3s. 349.15 (3) and except as provided in s. 348.17 (5), no person, without a permit, may
4operate on a class "A" highway any vehicle or combination of vehicles unless the
5vehicle or combination of vehicles complies with the following weight limitations:
AB743, s. 2 6Section 2. 348.16 (2) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB743,2,117 348.16 (2) Except as provided in sub. (3) and s. ss. 348.17 (5) and 348.175 and
8subject to any modifications made by a city of the first class pursuant to s. 349.15 (3),
9no person, without a permit therefor, shall operate on a class "B" highway any vehicle
10or combination of vehicles imposing wheel, axle, group of axles, or gross weight on
11the highway exceeding 60 per cent of the weights authorized in s. 348.15 (3).
AB743, s. 3 12Section 3. 348.17 (1) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB743,2,1913 348.17 (1) No Except as provided in sub. (5), no person, whether operating
14under a permit or otherwise, shall operate a vehicle in violation of special weight
15limitations imposed by state or local authorities on particular highways, highway
16structures or portions of highways when signs have been erected as required by s.
17349.16 (2) giving notice of such weight limitations, except when the vehicle is being
18operated under a permit expressly authorizing such weight limitations to be
19exceeded.
AB743, s. 4 20Section 4. 348.17 (5) of the statutes is created to read:
AB743,3,8
1348.17 (5) From September 1 to November 31 of each year, no permit shall be
2required for the transportation of corn, soybeans, potatoes, vegetables, or
3cranberries from the field to initial storage or from the field to initial processing in
4a vehicle or combination of vehicles that exceeds the weight limitations under s.
5348.15 or 348.16 by not more than 15%. This subsection does not apply to the
6national system of interstate and defense highways, except for that portion of USH
751 between Wausau and STH 78 and that portion of STH 78 between USH 51 and
8the I 90/94 interchange near Portage upon their federal designation as I 39.
AB743,3,99 (End)
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