Village of New Haven, MI Article IV Weight Limits

[Adopted 8-10-2004 by Ord. No. 288]

§ 480-14 Regulation of overweight vehicles.

A regulation to establish maximum axle load; normal loading maximum; designating highways as adequate for heavier loading; restrictions as to tandem axle assemblies; exceptions; normal size of tires; maximum wheel load; reduction of maximum axle load on concrete pavement during March, April and May; exemptions; suspension of restrictions; determination of gross vehicle weight and axle weights; designation of highways for operation of certain vehicles; definition.

A. The maximum axle load shall not exceed the number of pounds designated in the following provisions that prescribe the distance between axles:

(1) If the axle spacing is nine feet or more between axles, the maximum axle load shall not exceed 18,000 pounds for a vehicle equipped with high-pressure pneumatic or balloon tires.

(2) If the axle spacing is less than nine feet between two axles but more than 3 1/2 feet, the maximum axle load shall not exceed 13,000 pounds for high-pressure pneumatic or balloon tires.

(3) If the axles are spaced less than 3 1/2 feet apart, the maximum axle load shall not exceed 9,000 pounds per axle.

(4) Subsection A(1), (2) and (3) shall be known as the normal loading maximum.

B. When normal loading is in effect, the Village of New Haven may designate certain highways or sections of those highways where bridges and road surfaces are adequate for heavier loading, and revise a designation as needed, on which the maximum tandem axle assembly loading shall not exceed 16,000 pounds for any axle of the assembly if there is no other axle within nine feet of any axle of the assembly.

C. On a legal combination of vehicles, only one tandem axle assembly shall be permitted on the designated highways at the gross permissible weight of 16,000 pounds per axle, if there is no other axle within nine feet of any axle of the assembly, and if no other tandem axle assembly in the combination of vehicles exceeds a gross weight of 13,000 pounds per axle. On a combination of truck tractor and semitrailer having not more than five axles, two consecutive tandem axle assemblies shall be permitted on the designated highways at a gross permissible weight of 16,000 pounds per axle, if there is no other axle within nine feet of any axle of the assembly.

D. Except as provided in this subsection and Subsection E, during the months of March, April and May in each year, the maximum axle load allowable on concrete pavements or pavements with a concrete base shall be reduced by 25% from the maximum axle load as specified in this chapter, and the maximum axle loads allowable on all other types of roads during these months shall be reduced by 35% from the maximum axle loads as specified. The maximum wheel load shall not exceed 525 pounds per inch of tire width on concrete and concrete base or 450 pounds per inch of tire width on all other roads during the period seasonal road restrictions are in effect. This subsection does not apply to vehicles transporting agricultural commodities or public utility vehicles on a highway, road or street under the jurisdiction of the Village of New Haven.

E. The Village of New Haven, with respect to highways under its jurisdiction, may in its discretion suspend the restrictions imposed by this section when and where conditions of the highways or the public health, safety and welfare warrant suspension and impose the restricted loading requirements of this section on designated highways at any other time that the conditions of the highway require.

F. For the purpose of enforcement of this article, the gross vehicle weights of a single vehicle and load or a combination of vehicles and loads shall be determined by weighing individual axles or groups of axles, and the total weights on all the axles shall be the gross vehicle weights. In addition, the gross axle weights shall be determined by weighing individual axles or by weighing a group of axles and dividing the gross weights of the group of axles by the number of axles in the group. Pursuant to Subsection (11),[1] the overall gross weights on a group of two or more axles shall be determined by weighing individual axles or several axles, and the total weight of all the axles in a group shall be the overall gross weights of the group.

[1] Editor's Note: So in original; no equivalent section in the Village Code.

G. The loading maximum in this subsection applies to streets within the Village of New Haven with respect to highways under its jurisdiction: It may designate a highway or a section of a highway for the operation of vehicles having a gross vehicle weight of not more than 80,000 pounds that are subject to the following load maximums:

(1) Twenty thousand pounds on any one axle, including all enforcement tolerances.

(2) A tandem axle weight of 34,000 pounds, including all enforcement tolerances.

(3) An overall gross weight on a group of two or more consecutive axles, determined by the following formula: W = 500 [(LxN)/(N-1) + (12xN) + 36]; where W = overall gross weight on a group of two or more consecutive axles to the nearest 500 pounds; L = distance in feet between the extreme of a group of two or more consecutive axles; and N = number of axles in the group under consideration; except that two consecutive sets of tandem axles may carry a gross load of 34,000 pounds each if the first and last axles of the consecutive sets of tandem axles are not less than 36 feet apart. The gross vehicle weight shall not exceed 80,000 pounds, including all enforcement tolerances. Except for five-axle truck tractors, semitrailer combinations having two consecutive sets of tandem axles, vehicles having a gross weight in excess of 80,000 pounds or in excess of the vehicle gross weight determined by the application of the formula in this subsection shall be subject to the maximum axle loads of Subsections A, B and C. As used in this subsection, "tandem axle weight" means the total weight transmitted to the road by two or more consecutive axles, the centers of which may be included between parallel transverse vertical planes spaced more than 40 inches but not more than 96 inches apart, extending across the full width of the vehicle. Except as otherwise provided in this section, vehicles transporting agricultural commodities shall have weight load maximums as defined in this subsection.

§ 480-15 Bridge, causeway or viaduct restrictions.

Public bridge, causeway or viaduct; maximum speed, load or gross weight.

A. A person shall not drive a vehicle upon a public bridge, causeway or viaduct at a speed or with a load which is greater than the maximum speed or load which can be maintained with safety to the structure when the structure is signposted as provided in this section. A person who violates this subsection is responsible for a civil infraction.

B. A person who drives or moves a vehicle or combination of vehicles or the owner or lessee of a vehicle who causes or allows such a vehicle or combination of vehicles to be loaded and driven or moved upon a public bridge, causeway or viaduct when the gross weight of the vehicle or combination of vehicles exceeds the limitations established and signposted pursuant to this section is responsible for a civil infraction and shall be assessed a civil fine as set forth in this article. This subjection shall not apply to either of the following:

(1) Implements of husbandry operated upon a public bridge, causeway or viaduct.

(2) The use of a public bridge, causeway or viaduct by a vehicle or combination of vehicles for a function essential to a farm operation otherwise reasonably inaccessible to vehicles performing the essential agricultural function.

§ 480-16 Violations and penalties.

A. Violations of this article are civil infractions. The civil fine assessed under this article shall be as set forth in Chapter 59, Municipal Civil Infractions, of the Code of the Village of New Haven.

[Amended 1-13-2015 by Ord. No. 333]

B. For the purpose of this section, the gross weights of a vehicle or combination of vehicles shall be determined as prescribed in § 480-14.