Whenever in the judgment of the Mayor or Street Commissioner any highway or part thereof would be injured or damaged by general use by vehicles having solid tires or by vehicles exceeding in gross weight or in weight per inch of tire width the limits which he or she shall determine to be safe for such highway or part thereof, he or she shall erect appropriate traffic signs prohibiting the operation of vehicles having solid tires, or indicating and designating such weight limits, and it shall be unlawful to operate over any such highway or part thereof any vehicle having solid tires or exceeding such weight limits, without securing a permit thereunto as provided in § 74.40.