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LRB-0400/1
ZDW:klm&amn
2019 - 2020 LEGISLATURE
September 16, 2019 - Introduced by Senators Tiffany, Bernier, Craig, Feyen,
LeMahieu, Olsen, Stroebel and Wanggaard, cosponsored by
Representatives Spiros, Brandtjen, Felzkowski, Gundrum, Hutton, Katsma,
Mursau, Nygren, Plumer, Quinn, Ramthun, Rohrkaste, Sanfelippo,
Sortwell, Tusler, Wittke, Zimmerman, Dittrich and Skowronski. Referred
to Committee on Transportation, Veterans and Military Affairs.
SB404,1,3 1An Act to amend 348.15 (3) (intro.) and 348.27 (1); and to create 348.17 (7),
2348.25 (8) (b) 5. and 348.27 (20) of the statutes; relating to: overweight permits
3for vehicles or vehicle combinations with six or more axles.
Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau
This bill authorizes the Department of Transportation to issue permits for the
operation of vehicle combinations that exceed maximum gross weight limitations by
not more than 11,000 pounds if the vehicle combination has six or more axles and
meets specified weight limits based on the number of axles and distances between
axles. The bill provides that the permits may be issued for operation only on state
trunk highways and on local highways for a distance up to 15 miles in order to travel
to and from a state trunk highway or to reach fuel, food, maintenance, repair, rest,
staging, terminal or vehicle assembly facilities, or points of loading or unloading.
The permits do not authorize operation of vehicles in excess of special or seasonal
weight limits imposed on a highway or weight restrictions on heavy traffic routes.
Under the bill, an applicant for a permit must include a description of the
proposed route they will travel, and DOT must minimize the operation of overweight
vehicles on state trunk highways in residential areas. If DOT issues a permit that
approves a route through a 1st class city, DOT must notify the city.
Under current law, with limited exceptions, no person may operate upon a
highway any vehicle or combination of vehicles that exceeds certain statutory weight
limits unless the person obtains a permit issued by DOT or a local authority.

Because this bill concerns an exception to the vehicle weight limits specified in
ch. 348, stats., the Department of Transportation, as required by law, will prepare
a report to be printed as an appendix to this bill.
For further information see the state fiscal estimate, which will be printed as
an appendix to this bill.
The people of the state of Wisconsin, represented in senate and assembly, do
enact as follows:
SB404,1 1Section 1 . 348.15 (3) (intro.) of the statutes is amended to read:
SB404,2,62 348.15 (3) (intro.) Subject to any modifications made by a 1st class city under
3s. 349.15 (3) and except as provided in s. 348.17 (5) or , (6), or (7), no person, without
4a permit, may operate on a class “A" highway any vehicle or combination of vehicles
5unless the vehicle or combination of vehicles complies with the following weight
6limitations:
SB404,2 7Section 2 . 348.17 (7) of the statutes is created to read:
SB404,2,128 348.17 (7) (a) The gross weight imposed on the highway by any group of 2 or
9more consecutive axles of a vehicle or combination of vehicles being operated under
10a permit issued under s. 348.27 (20) may not exceed the maximum gross weights in
11the following table for each of the respective distances between axles and the
12respective numbers of axles of a group:
SB404,4,5713 (a) [Figure] - See PDF for table PDF
SB404,4,6259 (b) Unless the department provides otherwise by rule, any axle of a vehicle or
60combination of vehicles that does not impose on the highway at least 8 percent of the
61gross weight of the vehicle or combination of vehicles may not be counted as an axle
62for the purposes of par. (a).
SB404,3 63Section 3. 348.25 (8) (b) 5. of the statutes is created to read:
SB404,4,6464 348.25 (8) (b) 5. For a permit issued under s. 348.27 (20), $300.
SB404,4 65Section 4. 348.27 (1) of the statutes is amended to read:
SB404,5,366 348.27 (1) Applications. All applications for annual, consecutive month, or
67multiple trip permits for the movement of oversize or overweight vehicles or loads
68shall be made to the officer or agency designated by this section as having authority
69to issue the particular permit desired for use of the particular highway in question.
70All applications under subs. (2) and (4) to (15) shall be made upon forms prescribed
71by the department. All applications under sub. (16) shall be made utilizing an
72electronic process prescribed by the department. All applications under sub. (17)
73shall be made utilizing an electronic process prescribed by the department. All
74applications under sub. (18) shall be made utilizing an electronic process prescribed

1by the department. All applications under sub. (20) shall be made utilizing an
2electronic process prescribed by the department and shall include a description of the
3route the applicant proposes to travel under the permit.
SB404,5 4Section 5 . 348.27 (20) of the statutes is created to read:
SB404,5,95 348.27 (20) Permits for overweight operation of vehicles with 6 or more
6axles.
(a) The department may issue annual or consecutive month permits for the
7operation of vehicle combinations that have 6 or more axles and that exceed the
8maximum gross weight limitations under s. 348.15 (3) (c) by not more than 11,000
9pounds.
SB404,5,1210 (b) When determining whether to issue permits under this subsection, the
11department shall minimize the operation of vehicles on portions of state trunk
12highways located in areas that are primarily residential.
SB404,5,1613 (c) A permit under this subsection is valid only on state trunk highways and
14on local highways for a distance not to exceed 15 miles in order to travel to and from
15a state trunk highway or to reach fuel, food, maintenance, repair, rest, staging,
16terminal or vehicle assembly facilities, or points of loading or unloading.
SB404,5,1917 (d) A permit under this subsection does not authorize operation of vehicles in
18excess of a special or seasonal weight limit imposed on a highway under s. 349.16 or
19a weight restriction on a heavy traffic route designated under s. 349.17.
SB404,5,2320 (e) A permit under this subsection is not valid for use on any interstate highway
21unless federal law authorizes vehicles or vehicle combinations with 6 or more axles
22and a gross vehicle weight of not more than 91,000 pounds to operate on interstate
23highways.
SB404,6,3
1(f) If the department issues a permit under this subsection that approves a
2route through a 1st class city, the department shall notify the 1st class city of the
3issuance of the permit.
SB404,6,44 (End)
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