September 14, 2017, Introduced by Reps. Cole, Liberati, Webber, Leutheuser and Chirkun and referred to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure.
A bill to amend 1949 PA 300, entitled
"Michigan vehicle code,"
by amending section 719 (MCL 257.719), as amended by 2017 PA 35.
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF MICHIGAN ENACT:
Sec. 719. (1) A vehicle unloaded or with load shall not exceed
a height of 13 feet 6 inches. The owner of a vehicle that collides
with a lawfully established bridge or viaduct is liable for all
damage and injury resulting from a collision caused by the height
of the vehicle, whether the clearance of the bridge or viaduct is
posted or not.
(2) Lengths described in this subsection shall be known as the
normal length maximum. Except as provided in subsection (3), the
following vehicles and combinations of vehicles shall not be
operated on a highway in this state in excess of these lengths:
(a) Subject to subsection (9), any single vehicle: 40 feet; a
crib vehicle on which logs are loaded lengthwise of the vehicle:
42.5 feet; any single bus or motor home: 45 feet.
(b) Articulated buses: 65 feet.
(c) Notwithstanding any other provision of this section, a
combination of a truck and semitrailer or trailer, or a truck
tractor, semitrailer, and trailer, or truck tractor and semitrailer
or trailer, designed and used exclusively to transport assembled
motor vehicles or bodies, recreational vehicles, or boats: 65 feet.
A combination of a truck and semitrailer or trailer, or a truck
tractor, semitrailer, and trailer, or a truck tractor and
semitrailer or trailer designed and used to transport boats from
the manufacturer, or a stinger-steered combination: 75 feet. The
load on the combinations of vehicles described in this subdivision
may extend an additional 3 feet beyond the front and 4 feet beyond
the rear of the combinations of vehicles. Retractable extensions
used to support and secure the load that do not extend beyond the
allowable overhang for the front and rear shall not be included in
determining length of a loaded vehicle or vehicle combination.
(d) Truck tractor and semitrailer combinations: no overall
length, the semitrailer: 50 feet.
(e) Except as provided in subdivision (j), truck and
semitrailer or trailer: 59 feet.
(f) Except as provided in subdivision (g), truck tractor,
semitrailer, and trailer, or truck tractor and 2 semitrailers: 59
feet.
(g) A truck tractor, semitrailer, and trailer, or a truck
tractor and 2 semitrailers, in which no semitrailer or trailer is
more than 28-1/2 feet long: 65 feet. This subdivision only applies
while the vehicle is being used for a business purpose reasonably
related to picking up or delivering a load and only if each
semitrailer or trailer is equipped with a device or system capable
of mechanically dumping construction materials or dumping
construction materials by force of gravity.
(h) More than 1 motor vehicle, wholly or partially assembled,
in combination, utilizing 1 tow bar or 3 saddle mounts with full
mount mechanisms and utilizing the motive power of 1 of the
vehicles in combination: 55 feet.
(i) A recreational vehicle that has its own motive power, in
combination with a trailer: 65 feet or, if the operator of the
recreational vehicle has a group commercial motor vehicle
designation on his or her operator's or chauffeur's license, 75
feet.
(j) Truck and trailer combinations designed and used to
transport agricultural drainage tubing: 75 feet.
(3) Notwithstanding subsection (2), the following vehicles and
combinations of vehicles shall not be operated on a designated
highway of this state in excess of these lengths:
(a) Truck tractor and semitrailer combinations: no overall
length
limit, the semitrailer 53 feet. All semitrailers longer than
50
feet shall have a wheelbase of 37.5 to 40.5 feet plus or minus
0.5
feet, measured from the kingpin coupling to the center of the
rear
axle or the center of the rear axle assembly. City, village,
or county authorities may prohibit stops of vehicles with a
semitrailer longer than 50 feet within their jurisdiction unless
the stop occurs along appropriately designated routes, or is
necessary for emergency purposes or to reach shippers, receivers,
warehouses, and terminals along designated routes.
(b) Truck and semitrailer or trailer combinations: 65 feet,
except that a person may operate a truck and semitrailer or trailer
designed and used to transport saw logs, pulpwood, and tree length
poles that does not exceed an overall length of 70 feet or a crib
vehicle and semitrailer or trailer designed and used to transport
saw logs that does not exceed an overall length of 75 feet. A crib
vehicle and semitrailer or trailer designed to and used to
transport saw logs shall not exceed a gross vehicle weight of
164,000 pounds. A person may operate a truck tractor and
semitrailer designed and used to transport saw logs, pulpwood, and
tree length wooden poles with a load overhang to the rear of the
semitrailer which does not exceed 6 feet if the semitrailer does
not exceed 50 feet in length.
(c) Notwithstanding subsection (5)(d), a truck tractor with a
log slasher unit and a log saw unit: no overall limit if the length
of each unit does not exceed 28-1/2 feet, or the overall length of
the log slasher unit and the log saw unit, as measured from the
front of the first towed unit to the rear of the second towed unit
while the units are coupled together, does not exceed 58 feet. The
coupling devices of the truck tractor and units set forth in this
subdivision shall meet the requirements established under the motor
carrier safety act of 1963, 1963 PA 181, MCL 480.11 to 480.25.
(d) Truck tractor and 2 semitrailers, or truck tractor,
semitrailer, and trailer combinations: no overall length limit, if
the length of each semitrailer or trailer does not exceed 28-1/2
feet each, or the overall length of the semitrailer and trailer, or
2 semitrailers as measured from the front of the first towed unit
to the rear of the second towed unit while the units are coupled
together does not exceed 58 feet.
(e) More than 1 motor vehicle, wholly or partially assembled,
in combination, utilizing 1 tow bar or 3 saddle mounts with full
mount mechanisms and utilizing the motive power of 1 of the
vehicles in combination: 97 feet.
(f) Truck tractor and lowboy semitrailer combinations: no
maximum overall length, if the lowboy semitrailer does not exceed
59
feet, except as otherwise permitted under this subdivision. A
lowboy
semitrailer wheelbase shall not exceed 55 feet as measured
from
the kingpin coupling to the center of the rear axle. A lowboy
semitrailer more than 59 feet in length shall not operate with more
than any combination of 4 axles on the lowboy unless an oversized
load permit is issued by the state transportation department or a
local authority with respect to highways under its jurisdiction. As
used in this subdivision, "lowboy semitrailer" means a flatbed
semitrailer with a depressed section that has the specific purpose
of being lowered and raised for loading and unloading.
(4) Notwithstanding any other provision of this section, a
combination of a truck and semitrailer, or truck tractor and
semitrailer, used exclusively to transport assembled motor vehicles
or bodies that have a trailer length of 53 feet may have a load
that extends an additional 3 feet beyond the front of the trailer
and 4 feet beyond the rear of the trailer. Retractable extensions
used to support and secure the load that do not extend beyond the
allowable overhang for the front and rear shall not be included in
determining length of a loaded vehicle or vehicle combination. The
total overall length loaded of the combination of vehicles
described in this subsection shall not exceed 79 feet.
(5) The following combinations and movements are prohibited:
(a) A truck shall not haul more than 1 trailer or semitrailer,
and a truck tractor shall not haul more than 2 semitrailers or 1
semitrailer and 1 trailer in combination at any 1 time, except that
a farm tractor may haul 2 wagons or trailers, or garbage and refuse
haulers may, during daylight hours, haul up to 4 trailers for
garbage and refuse collection purposes, not exceeding in any
combination a total length of 55 feet and at a speed limit not to
exceed 15 miles per hour.
(b) A combination of vehicles or a vehicle shall not have more
than 11 axles, except when operating under a valid permit issued by
the state transportation department or a local authority with
respect to a highway under its jurisdiction.
(c) Any combination of vehicles not specifically authorized
under this section is prohibited.
(d) Except as provided in subsection (3)(c), a combination of
2 semitrailers pulled by a truck tractor, unless each semitrailer
uses a fifth wheel connecting assembly that conforms to the
requirements of the motor carrier safety act of 1963, 1963 PA 181,
MCL 480.11 to 480.25.
(e) A vehicle or a combination of vehicles shall not carry a
load extending more than 3 feet beyond the front of the lead
vehicle.
(f) A vehicle described in subsections (2)(e) and (3)(e)
employing triple saddle mounts unless all wheels that are in
contact with the roadway have operating brakes.
(6) All combinations of vehicles under this section shall
employ connecting assemblies and lighting devices that are in
compliance with the motor carrier safety act of 1963, 1963 PA 181,
MCL 480.11 to 480.25.
(7) The total gross weight of a truck tractor, semitrailer,
and trailer combination or a truck tractor and 2 semitrailers
combination that exceeds 59 feet in length shall not exceed a ratio
of 400 pounds per engine net horsepower delivered to clutch or its
equivalent specified in the handbook published by the Society of
Automotive Engineers, Inc. (SAE), 1977 edition.
(8) A person who violates this section is responsible for a
civil infraction. The owner of the vehicle may be charged with a
violation of this section.
(9) The provisions in subsections (2)(a) and (3)(b)
prescribing the length of a crib vehicle on which logs are loaded
lengthwise do not apply unless 23 USC 127(d) is amended to allow
crib vehicles carrying logs to be loaded as described in this
section.
(10) As used in this section:
(a) "Designated highway" means a highway approved by the state
transportation department or a local authority with respect to a
highway under its jurisdiction.
(b) "Length" means the total length of a vehicle, or
combination of vehicles, including any load the vehicle is
carrying. Length does not include devices described in 23 CFR
658.16 and 23 CFR part 658, appendix D, 23 CFR 658.16 and 23 CFR
part 658, appendix D, as on file with the secretary of state are
adopted by reference. A safety or energy conservation device shall
be excluded from a determination of length only if it is not
designed or used for the carrying of cargo, freight, or equipment.
Semitrailers and trailers shall be measured from the front vertical
plane of the foremost transverse load supporting structure to the
rearmost transverse load supporting structure. Vehicle components
not excluded by law shall be included in the measurement of the
length, height, and width of the vehicle.
(c) "Stinger-steered combinations" means a truck tractor and
semitrailer combination in which the fifth wheel is located on a
drop frame located behind and below the rearmost axle of the power
unit.
Enacting section 1. This amendatory act takes effect 90 days
after the date it is enacted into law.