13.40.050 Emergency load limitations and defined period closures and restrictions on county roads

13.40.050 Emergency load limitations and defined period closures and restrictions on county roads.

(1) Engineer’s Authority. The engineer, for any definite period of time, may close to travel or restrict county roads to all vehicles or any class of vehicles or declare a lower maximum speed whenever the condition of a county road is such that its continued or unrestricted use by all vehicles or any class of vehicles will greatly damage the road or will be dangerous to traffic or is being constructed, altered, repaired, improved or maintained in such a manner as to require its use or any portion of its use closed or restricted: PROVIDED,

(a) That before any county road is closed or restricted to, or the maximum speed limit there on reduced for, all vehicles or any class of vehicles, a notice including the effective date shall be published in one issue of a newspaper of general circulation in the county.

(b) That on or prior to the date of publication of such notice, the engineer shall erect and maintain, or cause to be erected and maintained signs designating the provisions of this chapter in a conspicuous place at each end of the portion of any county road affected.

(c) No county road will be closed sooner than three days after the publication and posting of the notice. However, in cases of emergency or conditions in which the maximum time that the closure or restriction will be in effect is twelve hours or less the engineer may, without publication or delay, close or restrict a county road by posting notices at each end of the closed portion and at all intersecting county roads and state highways.

(2) Emergency Load Limitation--5 Tons. In the event the engineer finds it necessary to restrict the operation of motor trucks and other vehicles, on a particular county road or roads, due to rain, snow, climatic or other conditions, the engineer shall post emergency load limitation signs in accordance with (1)(b) above, limiting vehicle gross weight, including load, to 5 tons or 10,000 pounds: PROVIDED,

(a) The engineer may establish an emergency load limitation of other than 5 tons or 10,000 pounds on a particular county road or roads, where deemed necessary or practical due to particular conditions or circumstances.

(b) Authorized emergency vehicles shall be exempt from any emergency load limitations.

(c) The engineer shall grant special permits to school buses, motor trucks transporting perishable commodities or commodities necessary for health and welfare, and motor trucks necessary to provide services necessary for health and welfare to exceed the emergency load limitation; provided, no such special permit shall authorize nor shall any person operate upon any county road posted as in (1)(b) above, any such school bus or motor truck, with a vehicle gross weight, including load, that produces a load upon any tire concentrated upon the surface of the county road in excess of the following load limitations:

CONVENTIONAL TIRES		TUBELESS OR SPECIAL WITH .5 MARKING
Size Tire Width	Gross Load Each Tire	Size Tire Width	Gross Load Each Tire
7.00	1800 lbs.	8 -- 22.5	1800 lbs.
7.50	1800 lbs.	9 -- 22.5	1900 lbs.
8.25	1900 lbs.	10 -- 22.5	2250 lbs.
9.00	2250 lbs.	11 -- 22.5	2750 lbs.
10.00	2750 lbs.	11 -- 22.5	2750 lbs.
11.00 and over	3000 lbs.	12 -- 22.5	3000 lbs.

(a) Any person operating a school bus or motor truck for which this chapter authorizes a special load permit shall apply in writing to the engineer for such permit.

(b) The application shall contain:

(i) The name, address and telephone number of the registered owner of the school bus or motor truck; and

(ii) The make, model, net weight and year of the school bus or motor truck; and

(iii) The vehicle license plate number of the school bus or motor truck; and

(iv) The number and width of the tires used on the school bus or motor truck; and

(v) The weight and nature of the load to be transported on the school bus or motor truck; and

(vi) The county road or roads upon which the school bus or motor truck will be operated; and

(vii) A statement whether the special permit is requested for a single trip or continuous operation;

(viii) A statement of the reason or reasons why the special permit is necessary.

(c) Upon receipt of an application for a special permit containing the information required by this section, the engineer shall issue a permit in the name of the registered owner for the vehicle described in the application subject to the load limitations and conditions of this chapter. The permit shall specify the road or roads for which the permit is issued, and the dates upon which the permit is valid.

(d) Every permit issued under this chapter shall be carried in the vehicle for which the permit was issued at all times the vehicle is operated on any county road.

(a) No person shall operate any vehicle for which a special load limitation permit has been issued upon any county road to which such limitation applies, at a speed in excess of thirty (30) miles per hour, unless otherwise noted on the permit.

(b) No person shall operate any vehicle for which a special load limitation permit has been issued upon any county road other than the roads specified in the permit; provided, that the vehicle may be operated upon any other county road when the vehicle complies with the applicable load limitations for that other county road. (Added by Ord. 85-051 § 3, July 3, 1985; Amended by Ord. 87-095 § 4, Sept. 23, 1987; Amended by Ord. 96-028 § 29, June 12, 1996, Eff date June 29, 1996; Amended by Ord. 02-067, Nov. 6, 2002, Eff date Nov. 17, 2002).