LRB-2991/1
ARG:sac:jm
2013 - 2014 LEGISLATURE
October 14, 2013 - Introduced by Senators Petrowski, Cowles, Grothman, Kedzie,
Schultz and Tiffany, cosponsored by Representatives Ripp, Brooks, Bewley,
Clark, Czaja, Danou, Kahl, T. Larson, Milroy, Mursau, Nygren, A. Ott,
Smith, Spiros, Vruwink and Williams. Referred to Committee on
Transportation, Public Safety, and Veterans and Military Affairs.
SB341,1,3 1An Act to amend 348.07 (2) (k) and 348.10 (1); and to create 348.05 (2) (m) of
2the statutes; relating to: the maximum width of, and projecting loads on,
3vehicles carrying poles, pipe, girders, and similar materials.
Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau
Under current law, no person may operate on a highway any vehicle or
combination of vehicles that exceeds certain statutory limits on size, weight, or load
unless an exception applies or the person possesses a permit issued by the
Department of Transportation or local highway authorities. Current law generally
prohibits a person from operating on a highway, without a permit, any vehicle having
a total outside width in excess of eight feet six inches. Current law also generally
prohibits a person from operating on a highway any single vehicle with an overall
length in excess of 45 feet or any combination of two vehicles with an overall length
in excess of 70 feet. Under one exception, a person may 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 cooperative association (collectively a "utility"), or by a motor
carrier operating under contract with a utility, for transportation of poles, pipe,
girders, and similar materials.
Also under current law, with limited exceptions, no person may operate on a
highway, without a permit, any vehicle or vehicle combination carrying a load
extending more than three feet beyond the front of the vehicle.

This bill allows a vehicle or vehicle combination used by a utility, or by a motor
carrier operating under contract with a utility, for transportation of poles, pipe,
girders, and similar materials to, without a permit: 1) have a total outside width not
exceeding nine feet; and 2) carry a load extending not more than ten feet beyond the
front bumper of the vehicle or foremost vehicle in the vehicle combination.
The people of the state of Wisconsin, represented in senate and assembly, do
enact as follows:
SB341,1 1Section 1. 348.05 (2) (m) of the statutes is created to read:
SB341,2,72 348.05 (2) (m) Nine feet for a vehicle or vehicle combination used by a pipeline
3company or operator, public service corporation, municipal utility, or cooperative
4association described in s. 196.01 (5) (b) 1., or by a motor carrier operating under
5contract with a pipeline company or operator, public service corporation, municipal
6utility, or cooperative association described in s. 196.01 (5) (b) 1., for transportation
7of poles, pipe, girders and similar materials.
SB341,2 8Section 2. 348.07 (2) (k) of the statutes is amended to read:
SB341,2,189 348.07 (2) (k) Sixty feet for a single vehicle, and 120 feet for a 2-vehicle
10combination, used by a pipeline company or operator, public service corporation,
11municipal utility, or cooperative association described in s. 196.01 (5) (b) 1., or by a
12motor carrier operating under contract with a pipeline company or operator, public
13service corporation, municipal utility, or cooperative association described in s.
14196.01 (5) (b) 1., for transportation of poles, pipe, girders and similar materials. A
15vehicle or vehicle combination described in this paragraph may, in addition to the
16vehicle length specified in this paragraph, carry a load extending not more than 10
17feet beyond the front bumper of the vehicle or foremost vehicle in the vehicle
18combination.
SB341,3 19Section 3. 348.10 (1) of the statutes is amended to read:
SB341,3,8
1348.10 (1) No person, without a permit therefor, may operate on a highway any
2vehicle or combination of vehicles with any load thereon extending more than 3 feet
3beyond the front of the foremost vehicle, except as provided in s. 348.07 (2) (j) and (k),
4and except that a vehicle carrying another vehicle equipped with a crane or boom
5which extends more than 3 feet beyond the front of the foremost vehicle may be
6operated without permit if the total length of the vehicle or combination of vehicles,
7measuring from the end of the foremost projection of the load to the rear of the
8rearmost vehicle, does not exceed statutory length limitations.
SB341,4 9Section 4. Initial applicability.
SB341,3,1110 (1) This act first applies to vehicles operated on the effective date of this
11subsection.
SB341,3,1212 (End)
Loading...
Loading...