(A) The maximum wheel load of any one wheel of any vehicle, load, object or structure operated or moved upon improved public highways, streets, bridges or culverts shall not exceed 650 pounds per inch width of pneumatic tire, measured as prescribed by R.C. § 5577.03.
(B) The weight of vehicle and load imposed upon the said surface by vehicles with pneumatic tires shall not exceed any of the following wright limitations:
(1) On any one axle, 20,000;
(2) On any tandem axle, 34,000;
(3) On any two or more consecutive axles, the maximum weight as determined by application of the formula provided in division (D) of this section.
(C) The maximum overall gross weight of vehicle and load imposed upon the road surface shall not exceed 80,000 pounds.
(D) For purposes of division (B)(3) of this section, the maximum gross weight of any two or more consecutive axles shall be determined by application of the following formula:
W = 500(LN/N-1) + 12N + 36)
In this formula, W equals the overall gross weight on any group of two or more consecutive axles to the nearest 500, L equals the distance in feet between the extreme of any group of two or more consecutive axles, and N equals the number of axles in the group under consideration. However, two consecutive sets of tandem axles may carry a gross load of 34,000 pounds each, provided the overall distance between the first and last axles of such consecutive sets of tandem axles is 36 feet or more.
(E) Notwithstanding any other provisions of law, when a vehicle is towing another vehicle, such drawbar or other connection shall be of a length such as will limit the spacing between nearest axles of the respective vehicles to a distance not in excess of 12 feet and six inches.
(F) As used in this section, TANDEM AXLE means two consecutive axles whose centers may be included between parallel transverse vertical planes spaced more than 40 inches but not more than 96 inches apart, extending across the full width of the vehicle.
(G) Whoever violates the weight provisions of the above divisions shall be fined $100 for the first 2,000 pounds, or fraction thereof, of overload; for overloads in excess of 2,000 pounds but not in excess of 5,000 pounds, such person shall be fined $150, and in addition thereto one dollar per 100 pounds of overload; for over loads in excess of 5,000 pounds, but not in excess of 10,000 pounds, such person shall be fined $200 and in addition thereto two dollars per 100 pounds of overload, or imprisoned not more than 30 days, or both. For all overloads in excess of 10,000 pounds such person shall be fined $250, and in addition thereto three dollars per 100 pounds of overload, or imprisoned not more than 30 days, or both. Whoever violates the weight provisions of vehicle and load relating to gross load limits shall be fined not less than $200. No penalty prescribed in this division shall be imposed on any vehicle combination if the overload does not exceed 1,000 pounds, and if the immediately preceding or following axle, excepting the front axle of the vehicle combination, is under loaded by the same or a greater amount. For purposes of this division, two axles on one vehicle less than eight feet apart, shall be considered as one axle.
(Ord. 1605, passed 12-21-93) Penalty, see § 70.99