§ 21-221. Weight of axle loads; wheel load.

(a)

In no case shall the maximum axle load exceed the number of pounds designated in the following provisions which prescribe the distance between axles:

(1)

When the axle spacing is nine feet or over between axles, the maximum axle load shall not exceed 18,000 pounds for vehicles equipped with high pressure pneumatic or balloon tires.

(2)

When the axle spacing is less than nine feet between two axles but more than 3½ feet, the maximum axle load shall not exceed 13,000 pounds for high pressure pneumatic or balloon tires.

(3)

When two axles are spaced less than 3½ feet apart the combined weight thereof shall not exceed the maximum weights as specified for a single axle when spaced nine feet or more apart.

(4)

The foregoing shall be known as the normal loading maximum.

(b)

When such normal loading is in effect, the superintendent of DPW or his designee, the director of weights and measures or the ordinance officer or any police officer shall have the authority to designate certain highways or sections thereof where bridges and road surfaces are adequate for heavier loading, which designation may be revised as needed, on which the maximum tandem axle assembly loading shall not exceed 16,000 pounds for any axle of such assembly.

(c)

On any legal combination of vehicles, only one tandem axle assembly shall be permitted on such designated highways at the gross permissible weight of 16,000 pounds for any such axle and no other tandem axle assembly in such combination of vehicles shall exceed a gross weight of 13,000 pounds for any such axle. When the maximum gross weight of a tractor semitrailer combination of vehicles with load does not exceed 73,280 pounds, two tandem axle assemblies shall be permitted on such designated highways as a gross permissible weight of 16,000 pounds for any such axle.

(d)

The normal size of tires shall be the rated size as published by the manufacturers and in no case shall the maximum wheel load permissible for any wheel exceed 700 pounds per inch of width of tire.

(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 percent from the maximum axle loads as specified heretofore in this article, and the maximum axle loads allowable on all other types of roads during these months shall be reduced by 35 percent from the maximum axle loads as herein 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 the seasonal road restrictions are in effect.

(f)

The superintendent of DPW or his designee, the director of weights and measures, the ordinance officer or any police officer may suspend the restrictions imposed by this article when and where in his discretion conditions of the highways so warrant and may impose the restricted loading requirements of this section on designated highways at any other time that the conditions of the highway may require.

(g)

For the purpose of enforcement of this section, the gross vehicle weight 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 weight of all the axles shall be the gross vehicle weight. In addition, the gross axle weight shall be determined by weighing the individual axles or by weighing a group of axles and dividing the gross weight of the group of axles and dividing the gross weight of the group of axles by the number of axles in the group.

(h)

The superintendent of DPW with respect to highways under its jurisdiction of the city may designate a highway, or a section thereof, for the operation of vehicles which do not exceed any of the following:

(1)

Twenty thousand pounds on any one axle.

(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 equaling:

W = 500

[

LN _____ N - 1

+ 12N + 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, and the gross vehicle weight does not exceed 80,000 pounds including all enforcement tolerances.

(Ord. No. 456, § 8, 3-16-83; Ord. No. 530, § 1, 3-2-94)

State law reference

Similar provisions, MCL 257.722.