HB 1149 — Providing an exemption from certain maximum vehicle length limitations.

H-1235.2SUBSTITUTEH-0062.1HOUSE HOUSE BILL 1149State of Washington65th Legislature2017 Regular SessionBy House Transportation (originally sponsored by Representatives Chapman, Clibborn, Orcutt, and Fey)READFeyRead FIRSTfirst TIMEtime 02/03/17.AN01/12/17. ACT Relating to exemptions from certain maximum vehicle length limitations;

andReferred amendingto RCWCommittee 46.44.034on andTransportation.AN 46.44.030.BEACT ITRelating ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:Sec. 1.  RCW 46.44.034 and 1997 c 191 s 1 are each amended to readexemptions asfrom follows:(1)certain Themaximum load, or any portion of any vehicle, operated alone upon the public highway of this state, or the load, or any portion of the front vehicle oflength alimitations; combination of vehicles, shall not extend more than three feet beyond the front wheels of such vehicle, or the front bumper, if equipped with front bumper.

Thisand subsectionamending doesRCW not46.44.034.BE applyIT toENACTED aBY (a)THE front-loadingLEGISLATURE garbageOF truckTHE orSTATE recyclingOF truckWASHINGTON:Sec. 1.  RCW while46.44.034 on route and actually1997 engagedc in191 thes collection1 ofare solideach wasteamended orto recyclablesread atas speedsfollows:(1) ofThe twentyload, miles per hour or lessany orportion (b)of publicany transitvehicle, vehicleoperated equippedalone withupon athe bikepublic rackhighway upof tothis fourstate, feetor inthe length.(2)load, Noor vehicleany shallportion beof operated upon the publicfront highwaysvehicle withof anya partcombination of thevehicles, permanentshall structurenot orextend loadmore extendingthan inthree excess of fifteen feet beyond the centerfront wheels of such vehicle, or the lastfront axlebumper, ofif suchequipped vehicle.with front bumper.

This subsection does not apply to a (a) front-loading garbage truck or recycling truck while on route and actually engaged in the collection of solid waste or recyclables at speeds of twenty miles per hour or less or (b) public transit vehicle equipped with a bike rack.(2) No vehicle shall be operated upon the public highways with any part of the permanent structure or load extending in excess of fifteen feet beyond the center of the last axle of such vehicle.

2311 that is operated on the interstate highway system, those designated portions of the federal-aid primary system, and routes constituting reasonable access from such highways to terminals and facilities for food, fuel, repairs, and rest.Sec. 2.  RCWrest.--- 46.44.030END and--- 2012 c 79 s 1 are each amended to read as follows:It is unlawful for any person to operate upon the public highways of this state any vehicle having an overall length, with or without load, in excess of forty feet.

This restriction does not apply to (1) a municipal transit vehicle, (2) auto stage, private carrier bus, school bus, or motor home with an overall length not to exceed forty-six feet, (3) an articulated auto stage with an overall length not to exceed sixty-one feet, excluding a bike rack up to four feet in length, or (4) an auto recycling carrier up to forty-two feet in length manufactured prior to 2005.It is unlawful for any person to operate upon the public highways of this state any combination consisting of a tractor and semitrailer that has a semitrailer length in excess of fifty-three feet or a combination consisting of a tractor and two trailers in which the combined length of the trailers exceeds sixty-one feet, with or without load.It is unlawful for any person to operate on the highways of this state any combination consisting of a truck and trailer, or log truck and stinger-steered pole trailer, with an overall length, with or without load, in excess of seventy-five feet.

"Stinger-steered," as used in this section, means the coupling device is located behind the tread of the tires of the last axle of the towing vehicle.These length limitations do not apply to vehicles transporting poles, pipe, machinery, or other objects of a structural nature that cannot be dismembered and operated by a public utility when required for emergency repair of public service facilities or properties, but in respect to night transportation every such vehicle and load thereon shall be equipped with a sufficient number of clearance lamps on both sides and marker lamps upon the extreme ends of any projecting load to clearly mark the dimensions of the load.Excluded from the calculation of length are certain devices that provide added safety, energy conservation, or are otherwise necessary, and are not designed or used to carry cargo.

The length-exclusive devices must be identified in rules adopted by the department of transportation under RCW 46.44.101.--- END ---