Rhode Island 2025 Regular Session

Rhode Island House Bill H5730 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

Old	New	Differences
1	1
2	2
3	3
4	4
5	5	2025 -- H 5730
6	6	========
7	7	LC001552
8	8	========
9	9	S T A T E O F R H O D E I S L A N D
10	10	IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY
11	11	JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2025
12	12	____________
13	13
14	14	A N A C T
15	15	RELATING TO MOTOR AN D OTHER VEHICLES -- SIZE, WEIGHT, AND LOAD LIMITS
16	16	Introduced By: Representatives Speakman, Boylan, Cortvriend, Edwards, and Casey
17	17	Date Introduced: February 26, 2025
18	18	Referred To: House State Government & Elections
19	19
20	20
21	21	It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:
22	22	SECTION 1. Section 31-25-21 of the General Laws in Chapter 31-25 entitled "Size, 1
23	23	Weight, and Load Limits" is hereby amended to read as follows: 2
24	24	31-25-21. Power to permit excess size or weight of loads. 3
25	25	(a) The department of transportation, with respect to highways under its jurisdiction, may, 4
26	26	in its discretion, upon application in writing and good cause being shown for it, approve the 5
27	27	issuance of a special permit in writing authorizing the applicant to operate or move a vehicle, or 6
28	28	combination of vehicles, of a size or weight of vehicle or load exceeding eighty thousand pounds 7
29	29	(80,000 lbs.) or otherwise not in conformity with the provisions of chapters 1 — 27 of this title 8
30	30	upon any highway under the jurisdiction of the party granting the permit and for the maintenance 9
31	31	of which the party is responsible. Permits that have been issued for a full year shall not be required 10
32	32	to be renewed for the period of time for which payment has been made and the application and 11
33	33	other required documentation has been completed and filed. Provided, that neither the department 12
34	34	of transportation nor the local authorities may approve the issuance of permits for divisible loads 13
35	35	weighing in excess of the limits set by the director of the department of transportation by and 14
36	36	through the rules and regulations promulgated by the department of transportation entitled “rules 15
37	37	and regulations regarding overweight and oversize vehicle permits”. 16
38	38	(1) Provided, however, that for milk products, any vehicle carrying fluid milk products 17
39	39	shall be considered a load that cannot be easily dismantled or divided. 18
40	40	(b) The director of the department of transportation may enter into agreements with other 19
41	41
42	42
43	43	LC001552 - Page 2 of 5
44	44	states, the District of Columbia, and Canadian provinces providing for the reciprocal enforcement 1
45	45	of the overweight or over-dimensional vehicle permit laws of those jurisdictions entering into the 2
46	46	agreement. 3
47	47	(c) Single trip non-divisible permit fee. A fee of forty dollars ($40.00) shall be paid to the 4
48	48	department of transportation for the issuance of each non-divisible single trip permit. Upon 5
49	49	approval of the application, the department of transportation shall provide the approved permit. The 6
50	50	driver must possess the permit and documentation as required by the permit at all times. 7
51	51	(d) Annual construction equipment blanket permit fee. An annual fee of four hundred 8
52	52	dollars ($400) paid to the department of transportation shall exempt the payor from the necessity 9
53	53	of paying single trip permit fees for non-divisible construction equipment loads, boats, or marine 10
54	54	assets of less than one hundred thirty thousand pounds (130,000 lbs.) as found in subsection (c). 11
55	55	However, payment of the fee shall not be deemed to authorize noncompliance with the rules and 12
56	56	regulations promulgated by the department of transportation entitled “rules and regulations 13
57	57	regarding overweight and oversize vehicle permits”. 14
58	58	(e) Blanket construction equipment permits may be issued, as determined by the 15
59	59	department of transportation, for intrastate movement of non-divisible construction equipment 16
60	60	loads, boats or marine assets upon payment of the fee set forth in subsection (d). If used in 17
61	61	conjunction with an annual divisible load permit, the limits and requirements of the blanket 18
62	62	construction equipment permit shall supersede the requirements of the divisible load permit. The 19
63	63	driver must possess both permits and all required documentation. The duration of the blanket permit 20
64	64	may not exceed one year. The construction equipment blanket permit load shall be limited to a 21
65	65	minimum overall length of fifty-five feet (55′), a maximum overall length of eighty feet (80′), a 22
66	66	maximum width of twelve feet four inches (12′ 4″), a maximum gross weight of one hundred thirty 23
67	67	thousand pounds (130,000 lbs.), and a maximum axle weight of twenty-five thousand pounds 24
68	68	(25,000 lbs.); provided, that the department of transportation, with respect to highways under its 25
69	69	jurisdiction, may, in its discretion and upon application and for good cause shown, approve the 26
70	70	issuance of a single trip non-divisible permit authorizing the applicant to exceed one hundred thirty 27
71	71	thousand pounds (130,000 lbs.) for non-divisible loads. A flashing amber light shall be in operation 28
72	72	above the highest point of the vehicle and shall be visible from both the front and rear of the vehicle; 29
73	73	and signs and red warning flags shall be affixed to all extremities. All blanket permits issued in 30
74	74	accordance with this section shall be effective during daylight and night-time hours for all over-31
75	75	dimensional moves made and travel shall be allowed on state highways. 32
76	76	(f) Permission to travel is always subject to weather and road conditions. The following 33
77	77	restrictions on travel times shall apply to all vehicles over eight feet six inches (8′ 6″) wide, over 34
78	78
79	79
80	80	LC001552 - Page 3 of 5
81	81	eighty feet (80′) long, or over one hundred thirty thousand pounds (130,000 lbs.): 1
82	82	(1) Freeways and arterial roadways. 2
83	83	No travel will be allowed between the hours of 7:00 a.m. and 9:00 a.m. or between 3:00 3
84	84	p.m. and 7:00 p.m., Monday through Friday. 4
85	85	(2) [Deleted by P.L. 2022, ch. 178, § 1 and P.L. 2022, ch. 179, § 1.] 5
86	86	(3) Holidays. 6
87	87	Memorial Day, Victory Day, Labor Day, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day, and Columbus 7
88	88	Day — No Saturday, Sunday, or Monday day or night travel. 8
89	89	Thanksgiving Day — No travel on Wednesday through Sunday of Thanksgiving week in 9
90	90	any calendar year. 10
91	91	Independence Day, Veterans Day, Christmas Day, New Year’s Day — No day or night 11
92	92	travel and no travel the previous night. 12
93	93	Easter Sunday. No Saturday night or Sunday travel. 13
94	94	(4) Violations of this section are subject to fines enumerated in § 31-25-24. 14
95	95	(g) Construction equipment blanket Blanket permits shall not be granted for travel over the 15
96	96	following bridges: 16
97	97	Blackstone River Viaduct 750 carrying I-295 northbound and southbound over the 17
98	98	Blackstone River; 18
99	99	Kingston Road Bridge No. 403 carrying I-95 northbound and southbound over Kingston 19
100	100	Road. 20
101	101	(h) Travel of blanket permitted construction equipment permits through zones with 21
102	102	reductions in lane width such as construction zones will not be allowed. Prior to travel, blanket 22
103	103	permit holders are responsible to verify the location of construction zones and lane width 23
104	104	reductions. Locations of lane width reduction zones are available through the state department of 24
105	105	transportation’s construction office. 25
106	106	(i) Upon approval of the annual construction equipment blanket permit application, the 26
107	107	department of transportation shall provide the approved permit. The driver must possess the permit 27
108	108	and documentation as required by the permit at all times. 28
109	109	(j) Any carrier or persons found to be operating without a required permit, or in excess of 29
110	110	their permit limits, three (3) times within a one-year period shall be revoked of their ability to use 30
111	111	and receive permits within the state for up to thirty (30) days. Additional violations shall result in 31
112	112	revocation of up to ninety (90) days. 32
113	113	(k) Operation of any vehicle in excess of the requirements of any permit shall void that 33
114	114	permit and result in the imposition of fines as provided in this chapter. 34
115	115
116	116
117	117	LC001552 - Page 4 of 5
118	118	SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage. 1
119	119	========
120	120	LC001552
121	121	========
122	122
123	123
124	124	LC001552 - Page 5 of 5
125	125	EXPLANATION
126	126	BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL
127	127	OF
128	128	A N A C T
129	129	RELATING TO MOTOR AN D OTHER VEHICLES -- SIZE, WEIGHT, AND LOAD LIMITS
130	130	***
131	131	This act would allow boats and marine assets to utilize the overweight oversize annual 1
132	132	blanket permit, that was in effect until 2022, when it was no longer allowed. It would also allow 2
133	133	for the resumption of the prior practice, which was outlawed, of permitting for boats and marine 3
134	134	asset transportation. 4
135	135	This act would take effect upon passage. 5
136	136	========
137	137	LC001552
138	138	========