AB282: Bill Text

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2013 - 2014 LEGISLATURE

2013 Assembly BILL 282

August 7, 2013 - Introduced by Representatives Spiros, Ripp, Ballweg, Krug and Weatherston, cosponsored by Senators Petrowski and L. Taylor. Referred to Committee on Transportation.

AB282,1,3 An Act to amend 348.07 (2) (g), 348.07 (2) (gv) and 348.07 (4); and to create 348.07 (2) (gr) of the statutes; relating to: the length of vehicles that may be operated on the highway without an overlength permit.

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 45 feet or any combination of two vehicles (vehicle combination) with an overall length in excess of 70 feet, unless a specific exception applies or the person has a permit to exceed these lengths. Prior to the enactment of 2011 Wisconsin Act 243, effective November 1, 2012, there was an exception to the general single vehicle length limit for each of the following:

1. A semitrailer operated as part of a vehicle combination if the semitrailer did not exceed 53 feet, its kingpin-to-axle length did not exceed 43 feet, and it was operated on a highway designated by the Department of Transportation (DOT) as a long truck route or operated for not more than 15 miles on a highway providing access to a long truck route or to certain services.

2. A semitrailer operated as part of a vehicle combination if the semitrailer did not exceed 53 feet, its kingpin-to-axle length did not exceed 43 feet, and it was operated on the state trunk highway system except those parts designated by DOT by rule as ineligible for this length limit.

2011 Wisconsin Act 243 expanded the exception identified as 2., above, to also apply to highways that are not state trunk highways and repealed the exception identified as 1., above.

This bill recreates the exception identified as 1., above, effective retroactively to the effective date of 2011 Wisconsin Act 243.

For further information see the state and local 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:

AB282,1 Section 1. 348.07 (2) (g) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB282,2,3 348.07 (2) (g) 48 feet for a semitrailer or trailer operated as part of a 2-vehicle combination, except as provided in par. (gr) or (gv).

AB282,2 Section 2. 348.07 (2) (gr) of the statutes is created to read:

AB282,2,8 348.07 (2) (gr) 53 feet for a semitrailer whose length from kingpin to axle does not exceed 43 feet and which is operated as part of a 2-vehicle combination on a highway designated under sub. (4). The length limits in this paragraph do not apply to a trailer or a semitrailer that is authorized to operate under par. (im).

AB282,3 Section 3. 348.07 (2) (gv) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB282,2,13 348.07 (2) (gv) 53 feet for a semitrailer whose length from kingpin to axle does not exceed 43 feet and which is operated as part of a 2-vehicle combination, except as provided in par. (gr) or sub. (4m). The length limits in this paragraph do not apply to a trailer or a semitrailer that is authorized to operate under par. (im).

AB282,4 Section 4. 348.07 (4) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB282,3,12 348.07 (4) The secretary shall, by rule, designate the highways to which sub. (2) (f), (fm), and (gm), and (gr) and s. 348.08 (1) (e) apply. The designation of highways under this subsection may not be inconsistent with the designation of highways made by the U.S. secretary of transportation under P.L. 97-424, section 411. The secretary may also designate additional highways by rule. In adopting a rule designating other highways, which may include 2-lane highways, the secretary shall specify the factors which resulted in the determination to designate the highways. These factors shall include, but are not limited to, safety, economics, energy savings, industry productivity and competition. Vehicles to which sub. (2) (f), (fm), and (gm), and (gr) and s. 348.08 (1) (e) apply may also operate on highways not designated under this subsection for a distance of 15 miles or less in order to obtain access to a highway designated under this subsection or to reach fuel, food, maintenance, repair, rest, staging, terminal or vehicle assembly facilities or points of loading or unloading. The secretary may, by rule, designate an access route of more than 15 miles from a highway designated under this subsection when the longer route provides safer and better access to a location which is within the 15-mile limit. Household goods carriers may operate between highways designated under this subsection and points of loading and unloading.

AB282,5 Section 5. Initial applicability.

AB282,3,15 (1) This act first applies, retroactively, to vehicles operated on November 1, 2012.

AB282,3,16 (End)