10-16-08 Regular Meeting and Public Hearing of the La Porte Planning and Zoning Commission

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(2) No such vehicles nor combination of vehicles shall have a greater weight than 600 pounds per inch width of tire upon any wheel concentrated upon the surface of the highway and using high-pressure tires, and a greater weight than 650 pounds per inch width of tire upon any wheel concentrated upon the surface of the highway and using low-pressure tires, and no wheel shall carry a load in excess of 8,000 pounds on high- pressure tires and 10,000 pounds on low-pressure tires, nor any axle a load in excess of 16,000 pounds on high-pressure tires, and 20,000 pounds on low-pressure tires. (3) Nothing in this section shall be construed as permitting size or weight limits on the national system of interstate and defense highways within the corporate limits of the city in excess of those permitted under 23 use 127. If the federal government prescribes or adopts vehicle size or weight limits greater than those prescribed by 23 use 127 for the national system of interstate and defense highways, the increased limits shall become effective on the national system of interstate and defense highways within the corporate limits of the city. (4) In this section, an axle load is defined as the total load transmitted to the road by all wheels whose centers may be included between two parallel transverse vertical planes 40 inches apart, extending across the full width of the vehicle. Tandem axle group is defined as two or more axles spaced 40 or more inches apart from center to center, having at least one common point of weight suspension. (5) Any police officer, having reason to believe that the gross weight or axle load of a loaded motor vehicle is unlawful, is authorized to weigh the vehicle by means of portable or stationary scales approved by the police department of the city for such use, or the police officer may cause the loaded motor vehicle to be weighed by any public weigher and may require such vehicle to be driven to the nearest available scales for the purpose of weighing. If the gross weight of a vehicle weighed pursuant to this subsection, is found to exceed the maximum gross weight authorized by law, plus a tolerance allowance of five percent of the gross weight authorized by law, such police officer shall demand and require the operator or owner of the motor vehicle to unload, or cause to be unloaded, such portion of the load as is necessary to decrease the gross weight of such vehicle to the maximum permitted by law, plus such tolerance allowance. Such vehicle may not be operated further over the public streets and highways within the city until the gross weight of the vehicle has been reduced to a weight not in excess of the maximum authorized by law plus such tolerance allowance, except as authorized under this subsection. If the axle load of a vehicle weighed pursuant to this subsection, is found to exceed the maximum authorized by law, plus a tolerance allowance of five percent ofthe axle load authorized by law, such police officer shall demand and require the operator or owner of the motor vehicle to decrease the axle load to the maximum authorized by law plus such tolerance allowance. The owner or operator may reduce such load by rearranging the cargo, if possible, or by unloading or having others to unload such portion of the cargo as is necessary to decrease the axle load to the maximum authorized by law, plus such tolerance allowance. Such vehicle may not be operated further over the public streets and highways within the city so long as any axle load exceeds the maximum authorized by law plus such tolerance allowance except as authorized under this subsection. If the load of a motor vehicle consists of livestock, the operator shall be permitted to proceed to the destination without unloading providing the destination is within the state. If the gross weight of a motor vehicle or an axle load exceeds the