A. No vehicle or combination of vehicles equipped with pneumatic tires shall be operated, unladen or with load, upon the highways and streets of the City when the gross weight on the road surface through any single axle thereof exceeds eighteen thousand (18,000) pounds, except when a different limit is established and posted in accordance with this Chapter and except any single axle of a two (2) axle motor vehicle weighing thirty six thousand (36,000) pounds or less and not a part of a combination of vehicles shall not exceed twenty thousand (20,000) pounds. Provided, however, that any single axle of a two (2) axle motor vehicle equipped with a personnel lift or digger derrick, weighing thirty six thousand (36,000) pounds or less, owned and operated by a public utility, shall not exceed twenty thousand (20,000) pounds. No vehicle or combination of vehicles equipped with other than pneumatic tires shall be operated unladen or with load, upon the highways or streets of the City when the gross weight on the road surface through any wheel thereof exceeds eight hundred (800) pounds per inch width of tire tread or when the gross weight on the road surface through any axle thereof exceeds sixteen thousand (16,000) pounds. An "axle load" shall be defined as the total load transmitted to the road by all wheels whose centers may be included between two (2) parallel transverse vertical planes forty inches (40") apart when extending across the full width of the vehicle.
Any two (2) or more single axles whose centers are more than forty inches (40") and not more than ninety six inches (96") apart, measured to the nearest inch between extreme axles in the series, shall be defined as tandem axles, and the gross weight transmitted to the road surface through such series shall not exceed thirty two thousand (32,000) pounds and no axle of the series shall exceed the maximum weight permitted under this Section for a single axle. Provided that on a four (4) axle vehicle or on a five (5) or more axle combination of vehicles the weight on a series of three (3) axles whose centers are more than ninety six inches (96") apart, measured between extreme axles in the series, shall not exceed those allowed on three (3) axles in the table contained in subsection E of this Section and no axle or tandem axle of the series shall exceed the maximum weight permitted under this Section for a single or tandem axle. Provided also that a three (3) axle vehicle or three (3) axle truck mixer, used exclusively for the mixing and transportation of concrete, specially equipped with a road surface engaging mixer trailing fourth axle, manufactured prior to the model year of 2004 and first registered in Illinois prior to January 1, 2005, with a distance greater than seventy two inches (72") but not more than ninety six inches (96") between any series of two (2) axles may transmit to the road surface a maximum weight of eighteen thousand (18,000) pounds on each of these axles with a gross weight on these two (2) axles not to exceed thirty six thousand (36,000) pounds. Any such vehicle manufactured in the model year of 2004 or thereafter or first registered in Illinois after December 31, 2004, may transmit to the road surface a maximum of thirty two thousand (32,000) pounds through these two (2) axles and none of the axles shall exceed eighteen thousand (18,000) pounds.
A truck, not in combination and specially equipped with a self-compactor, or an industrial roll-off hoist and roll- off container, used exclusively for garbage or refuse operations and a truck used exclusively for the collection of rendering materials may, however, when laden, transmit upon the road surface of any highway or street except when part of the National System of Interstate and Defense Highways, a gross weight upon a single axle not more than twenty two thousand (22,000) pounds, and upon a tandem axle not more than forty thousand (40,000) pounds. When unladen, however, such trucks shall comply with the axle limitations applicable to all other trucks.
A two (2) axle truck specially equipped with a front loading compactor used exclusively for garbage, refuse, or recycling may transmit twenty thousand (20,000) pounds per axle provided that the gross weight of the vehicle does not exceed forty thousand (40,000) pounds.
B. The gross weight of vehicles and combination of vehicles including the weight of the vehicle or combination and its maximum load shall be subject to the foregoing limitations and further shall not exceed the following gross weights dependent upon the number of axles and distance between extreme axles of the vehicle or combination measured longitudinally to the nearest foot.
Vehicles having 2 axles | 36,000 pounds |
VEHICLES OR COMBINATIONS
HAVING 3 AXLES
With Axles Minimum Distance To Nearest Foot Between Extreme Axles
| Maximum Gross Weight In Pounds
| With Or Without Tandem Axles Minimum Distance To Nearest Foot Between Extreme Axles
| Maximum Gross Weight In Pounds
|
With Axles Minimum Distance To Nearest Foot Between Extreme Axles
| Maximum Gross Weight In Pounds
| With Or Without Tandem Axles Minimum Distance To Nearest Foot Between Extreme Axles
| Maximum Gross Weight In Pounds
|
10' | 41,000 | 15' | 45,000 |
11' | 42,000 | 16' | 46,000 |
12' | 43,000 | 17' | 47,000 |
13' | 44,000 | 18' | 47,500 |
14' | 44,500 | 19' | 48,000 |
20' | 49,000 | ||
21' or more | 50,000 | ||
VEHICLES OR COMBINATIONS
HAVING 4 AXLES
With Axles Minimum Distance To Nearest Foot Between Extreme Axles
| Maximum Gross Weight In Pounds
| With Or Without Tandem Axles Minimum Distance To Nearest Foot Between Extreme Axles
| Maximum Gross Weight In Pounds
|
With Axles Minimum Distance To Nearest Foot Between Extreme Axles
| Maximum Gross Weight In Pounds
| With Or Without Tandem Axles Minimum Distance To Nearest Foot Between Extreme Axles
| Maximum Gross Weight In Pounds
|
15' | 50,000 | 26' | 57,500 |
16' | 50,500 | 27' | 58,000 |
17' | 51,500 | 28' | 58,500 |
18' | 52,000 | 29' | 59,500 |
19' | 52,500 | 30' | 60,000 |
20' | 53,500 | 31' | 60,500 |
21' | 54,000 | 32' | 61,500 |
22' | 54,500 | 33' | 62,000 |
23' | 55,500 | 34' | 62,500 |
24' | 56,000 | 35' | 63,500 |
25' | 56,500 | 36' or more | 64,000 |
In applying the above table to a vehicle having more than four (4) axles that is not in combination, only four (4) axles shall be considered in determining the maximum gross weights.
COMBINATIONS HAVING 5 OR MORE AXLES
With Axles Minimum Distance To Nearest Foot Between Extreme Axles
| Maximum Gross Weight In Pounds
|
42' or less | 72,000 |
43' | 73,000 |
44' or more | 73,280 |
Vehicle operating on crawler type tracks | 40,000 |
TRUCKS EQUIPPED WITH SELF-COMPACTORS OR ROLL-OFF HOISTS
AND ROLL-OFF CONTAINERS FOR GARBAGE OR REFUSE HAULS ONLY
ON HIGHWAY OR STREET NOT PART OF NATIONAL SYSTEM OF
INTERSTATE AND DEFENSE HIGHWAYS
With 2 axles | 36,000 pounds |
With 3 axles | 54,000 pounds |
C. Weight limitations shall not apply to vehicles (including loads) operated by a public utility when transporting equipment required for emergency repair or public utility facilities or properties or water wells.
A combination of vehicles, including a tow truck and a disabled vehicle or disabled combination of vehicles, which exceeds the weight restriction imposed by this Chapter, may be operated on a public highway or street in the City provided that neither the disabled vehicle nor any vehicle being towed nor the tow truck itself shall exceed the weight limitations permitted under this Chapter. During the towing operation, neither the tow truck nor the vehicle combination shall exceed the following axle weight limitations:
24,000 pounds -- single rear axle;
44,000 pounds -- tandem rear axles.
Gross weight limits shall not apply to the combination of the tow truck and vehicles being towed. The tow truck license plate must cover the operating empty weight of the tow truck only. The weight of each vehicle being towed shall be covered by a valid license plate issued to the owner or operator of the vehicle being towed and displayed on that vehicle. If no valid plate issued to the owner or operator of that vehicle is displayed on that vehicle, or the plate displayed on that vehicle does not cover the weight of the vehicle, the weight of the vehicle shall be covered by the third tow truck plate issued to the owner or operator of the tow truck and temporarily affixed to the vehicle being towed.
In addition, the following conditions must be met:
1. The towing vehicle must be:
a. Specifically designed as a tow truck having a gross vehicle weight rating of at least eighteen thousand (18,000) pounds and equipped with air brakes, provided that air brakes shall be required only if the towing vehicle is towing a vehicle, semitrailer, or tractor-trailer combination that is equipped with airbrakes;
b. Equipped with flashing, rotating or oscillating amber lights, visible for a least five hundred feet (500') in all directions; and
c. Capable of utilizing the lighting and braking systems of the disabled vehicle or combination of vehicles.
2. The towing of such vehicles on the highways and streets of the City shall not exceed fifteen (15) miles from the initial point of wreck or disablement. Any additional movement of such vehicles shall only occur upon issuance of authorization for the movement pursuant to the applicable provisions of this Chapter.
Nothing in this Chapter shall prohibit a tow truck under instruction of a police officer from legally clearing a disabled vehicle, that may be in violation of weight limitations of this Chapter, from the roadway to the berm or shoulder of the highway or street.
For the purpose of subsection E2 of this Section, gross vehicle weight rating, or GVWR, shall mean the value specified by the manufacturer as the loaded weight of the tow truck.
E. Notwithstanding any other provision in this Chapter, except for those special provisions relating to emergency operations of public utilities and tow trucks while actually engaged in the towing of a disabled vehicle, those vehicles exempted by subsection C of this Section, and those vehicles for which the City issues an overweight permit, the weight limitations contained in this subsection shall apply to the National System of Interstate and Defense Highways and other highways in the system of State highways that have been designated by the Illinois Department of Transportation and all streets and highways in the City. No vehicle shall be operated on said streets and highways with a weight in excess of twenty thousand (20,000) pounds carried on any one axle or with a tandem axle weight in excess of thirty four thousand (34,000) pounds, or a gross weight in excess of eighty thousand (80,000) pounds for vehicle combinations of five (5) axles or more, or a gross weight on a group of two (2) or more consecutive axles in excess of that weight produced by the application of the following formula:
W = 500 times the sum of (LN divided by N-1) + 12N + 36
Where "W" equals overall gross weight on any group of two (2) or more consecutive axles to the nearest five hundred (500) pounds; "L" equals the distance measured to the nearest foot between extremes of any group of two (2) or more consecutive axles; and "N" equals the number of axles in the group under consideration, except that two (2) consecutive sets of tandem axles may carry a gross load of thirty four thousand (34,000) pounds each, provided the overall distance between the first and last axles of the consecutive sets of tandem axles is thirty six feet (36') or more. Provided also that a three (3) axle vehicle registered as a special hauling vehicle manufactured prior to or in the model year of 2004, and first registered in Illinois prior to January 1, 2005, with a distance greater than seventy two inches (72") but not more than ninety six inches (96") between the two (2) rear axles may transmit to the road surface a maximum weight of eighteen thousand (18,000) pounds on each of the two (2) rear axles with a gross weight not to exceed thirty six thousand (36,000) pounds. Any vehicle registered as a special hauling vehicle manufactured in the model year of 2004 or thereafter or first registered in Illinois after December 31, 2004, may transmit to the road surface a maximum of thirty four thousand (34,000) pounds through the two (2) rear axles and neither of the rear axles shall exceed twenty thousand (20,000) pounds. For purposes of this subsection, "tandem axles" shall be defined as any two (2) or more single axles whose centers are more than forty inches (40") and not more than ninety six inches (96") apart, measured to the nearest inch between extreme axles in the series.
The above formula when expressed in tabular form results in allowable loads as follows:
Distance Measured To The Nearest Foot Between The Extremes Of Any Group Of 2 Or | Maximum Loads In Pounds Carried On Any Group Of 2 Or More Consecutive Axles | ||||
More Consecutive Axles | 2 Axles | 3 Axles | 4 Axles | 5 Axles | 6 Axles
|
Distance Measured To The Nearest Foot Between The Extremes Of Any Group Of 2 Or | Maximum Loads In Pounds Carried On Any Group Of 2 Or More Consecutive Axles | ||||
More Consecutive Axles | 2 Axles | 3 Axles | 4 Axles | 5 Axles | 6 Axles
|
4' | 34,000 | ||||
5' | 34,000 | ||||
6' | 34,000 | ||||
7' | 34,000 | ||||
8' | 34,000 | 42,000 | |||
9' | 39,000 | 42,500 | |||
10' | 40,000 | 43,500 | |||
11' | 44,000 | ||||
12' | 45,000 | 50,000 | |||
13' | 45,500 | 50,500 | |||
14' | 46,500 | 51,500 | |||
15' | 47,000 | 52,000 | |||
16' | 48,000 | 52,500 | 58,000 | ||
17' | 48,500 | 53,500 | 58,500 | ||
18' | 49,500 | 54,000 | 59,000 | ||
19' | 50,000 | 54,500 | 60,000 | ||
20' | 51,000 | 55,500 | 60,500 | 66,000 | |
21' | 51,500 | 56,000 | 61,000 | 66,500 | |
22' | 52,500 | 56,500 | 61,500 | 67,000 | |
23' | 53,000 | 57,500 | 62,500 | 68,000 | |
24' | 54,000 | 58,000 | 63,000 | 68,500 | |
25' | 54,500 | 58,500 | 63,500 | 69,000 | |
26' | 55,500 | 59,500 | 64,000 | 69,500 | |
27' | 56,000 | 60,000 | 65,000 | 70,000 | |
28' | 57,000 | 60,500 | 65,500 | 71,000 | |
29' | 57,500 | 61,500 | 66,000 | 71,500 | |
30' | 58,500 | 62,000 | 66,500 | 72,000 | |
31' | 59,000 | 62,500 | 67,500 | 72,500 | |
32' | 60,000 | 63,500 | 68,000 | 73,000 | |
33' | 64,000 | 68,500 | 74,000 | ||
34' | 64,500 | 69,000 | 74,500 | ||
35' | 65,500 | 70,000 | 75,000 | ||
36' | 66,000 | 70,500 | 75,500 | ||
37' | 66,500 | 71,000 | 76,000 | ||
38' | 67,500 | 72,000 | 77,000 | ||
39' | 68,000 | 72,500 | 77,500 | ||
40' | 68,500 | 73,000 | 78,000 | ||
41' | 69,500 | 73,500 | 78,500 | ||
42' | 70,000 | 74,000 | 79,000 | ||
43' | 70,500 | 75,000 | 80,000 | ||
44' | 71,500 | 75,500 | |||
45' | 72,000 | 76,000 | |||
46' | 72,500 | 76,500 | |||
47' | 73,500 | 77,500 | |||
48' | 74,000 | 78,000 | |||
49' | 74,500 | 78,500 | |||
50' | 75,500 | 79,000 | |||
51' | 76,000 | 80,000 | |||
52' | 76,500 | ||||
53' | 77,500 | ||||
54' | 78,000 | ||||
55' | 78,500 | ||||
56' | 79,500 | ||||
57' | 80,000 | ||||
F. In applying the above formula to a vehicle having more than four (4) axles which is not a combination, only four (4) axles shall be considered in determining the maximum gross weight, and for a combination of vehicle having more than six (6) axles, only six (6) axles shall be considered in determining the maximum gross weight.
Notwithstanding the above table, two (2) consecutive sets of tandem axles may carry a gross weight of thirty four thousand (34,000) pounds each if the overall distance between the first and last axles of such consecutive sets of tandem axles is thirty six feet (36') or more.
Combinations of vehicles, registered as special hauling vehicles that include a semitrailer manufactured prior to or in the model year of 2004, and first registered in Illinois prior to January 1, 2005, having five (5) axles with a distance of forty two feet (42') or less between extreme axles shall be limited to the weights prescribed in subsections A and B of this Section and not subject to the bridge formula on the National System of Interstate and Defense Highways and other highways in the system of State highways designated by the Department. For all those combinations of vehicles, that include a semitrailer manufactured after the effective date of this amendatory Act of 1986, the overall distance between the first and last axles of the two (2) sets of tandems must be eighteen feet six inches (18'6") or more. All combinations of vehicles registered as special hauling vehicles that include a semitrailer manufactured prior to or in the model year of 2004 or thereafter or first registered in Illinois after December 31, 2004, or that has had its cargo container replaced in its entirety after December 31, 2004, are limited to the gross weight allowed by the above formula.
Vehicles operating under this subsection shall have access for a distance of one highway mile to or from a Class I highway on any street or highway, unless there is a sign prohibiting the access, or five (5) highway miles to or from either a Class I, II, or III highway on a street or highway included in the system of State highways and upon any street or highway designated by local authorities or road district commissioners to points of loading and unloading and to facilities for food, fuel, repairs and rest.
G. No person shall operate a vehicle or combination of vehicles over a bridge or other elevated structure constituting part of a highway or street with a gross weight which is greater than the maximum weight permitted by the Illinois Department of Transportation or the City, when such structure is signposted as provided in this Section.
H. Upon the trial of any person charged with a violation of subsection F of this Section, proof of the determination of the maximum allowable weight by the Illinois Department of Transportation or the City and the existence of the signs, constitutes conclusive evidence of the maximum weight which can be maintained with safety to such bridge or structure. (Ord. O-01-98, 1-5-1998)