39-12-05. Weight limitations for vehicles on interstate system.

303 words·~1 min read·/nd/title-39/chapter-39-12-size-width-and-height-restrictions/39-12-05·

A research copy — for the controlling text, always check the official state or federal source. Not legal advice.

A person may not operate on a highway which is part of the interstate system any vehicle:

1. With a single axle that carries a gross weight in excess of twenty thousand pounds

[9071.85 kilograms] or a wheel load over ten thousand pounds [4535.92 kilograms]. A

wheel may not carry a gross weight over five hundred fifty pounds [249.48 kilograms]

for each inch [2.54 centimeters] of tire width except that such limits may not be applied

to tires on the steering axle. Steering axle weights are limited to twenty thousand

pounds [9071.85 kilograms] or the axle rating established by the manufacturer,

whichever is lower. Axles spaced forty inches [101.60 centimeters] apart or less are

considered as one axle and, on axles spaced over forty inches [101.60 centimeters]

and under eight feet [2.44 meters] apart, the axle load may not exceed seventeen

thousand pounds [7711.07 kilograms] per axle. The wheel load, in any instance, may

not exceed one-half the allowable axle load. Spacing between axles is measured from

axle center to axle center.

2. Subject to the limitations imposed by subsection 1 on tires, wheel, and axle loads, the

gross weight of which exceeds that determined by the formula of:

W = 500 (LN/N-1 + 12N + 36)

where W equals maximum weight in pounds carried on any group of more than one

axle; L equals distance in feet between the extremes of any group of consecutive

axles; and N equals number of axles in the group under consideration, except that two

consecutive sets of tandem axles may carry a gross load of thirty-four thousand

pounds [15422.14 kilograms] each, providing the overall distance between the first and

last axles of the consecutive sets of tandem axles is at least thirty-six feet [10.97

meters]. The gross weight may not exceed eighty thousand pounds [36287.39

kilograms].