AB253: Bill Text

LRB-2701/1

ARG:wlj:ph

2011 - 2012 LEGISLATURE

2011 Assembly BILL 253

September 15, 2011 - Introduced by Representatives Petrowski, Ripp, Brooks, Kooyenga, Mursau and Spanbauer, cosponsored by Senators Lazich, Galloway and Lasee. Referred to Committee on Transportation.

AB253,1,3 An Act to repeal 348.27 (5) (title); and to renumber and amend 348.27 (5) of the statutes; relating to: the maximum permissible length of vehicles carrying poles, pipe, girders, and similar materials on highways.

Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau

Under current law, no person may operate on a highway any single vehicle with an overall length in excess of 40 feet or any combination of two vehicles with an overall length in excess of 65 feet, unless an exception applies or the person has a permit to exceed these lengths. Subject to certain restrictions, the Department of Transportation (DOT) may issue an annual or consecutive month permit to pipeline companies or operators or public service corporations for transportation of poles, pipe, girders, and similar materials and to companies and individuals hauling peeled or unpeeled pole-length forest products used in its business (pole and pipe permit).

This bill eliminates the issuance by DOT of pole and pipe permits and authorizes the operation of certain overlength vehicles without a permit. The bill allows a person to operate, without a permit, a single vehicle with an overall length not exceeding 60 feet, and a two-vehicle combination with an overall length not exceeding 120 feet, if the vehicle or vehicle combination is used by a pipeline company or operator, public service corporation, municipal utility, or public utility cooperative (collectively a "utility"), or by a motor carrier operating under contract with a utility, for transportation of poles, pipe, girders, and similar materials.

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:

AB253, s. 1 Section 1. 348.27 (5) (title) of the statutes is repealed.

AB253, s. 2 Section 2. 348.27 (5) of the statutes is renumbered 348.07 (2) (k) and amended to read:

AB253,2,18 348.07 (2) (k) Except as further provided in this subsection, the department may issue an annual or consecutive month permit to Sixty feet for a single vehicle, and 120 feet for a 2-vehicle combination, used by a pipeline companies or operators or company or operator, public service corporations corporation, municipal utility, or public utility cooperative, or by a motor carrier operating under contract with a pipeline company or operator, public service corporation, municipal utility, or public utility cooperative, for transportation of poles, pipe, girders and similar materials and to companies and individuals hauling peeled or unpeeled pole-length forest products used in its business. Such permits issued to companies and individuals hauling peeled or unpeeled pole-length forest products shall limit the length of vehicle and load to a maximum of 10 feet in excess of the limitations in s. 348.07 (1) and shall be valid only on a class "A" highway as defined in s. 348.15 (1). Permits issued to companies or individuals hauling pole-length forest products may not exempt such companies or individuals from the maximum limitations on vehicle load imposed by this chapter.

AB253, s. 3 Section 3. Initial applicability.

AB253,3,2 (1) This act first applies to vehicles operated on the effective date of this subsection.

AB253,3,3 (End)