(a) The maximum wheel load of any one wheel of any vehicle, trackless trolley, 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 Section 440.03.
(b) The weight of vehicle and load imposed upon the road surface of any part of the interstate system or, except as permitted by division (d) of this section, upon a road surface that is not part of the interstate system by vehicles with pneumatic tires shall not exceed any of the following weight limitations:
(1) On any one axle, 20,000 pounds;
(2) On any tandem axle, 34,000 pounds;
(3) On any two or more consecutive axles, the maximum weight as determined by application of the formula provided in division (c) of this section.
(c) For purposes of division (b)(3) of this section, the maximum gross weight on 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 pounds, 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 thirty-four thousand pounds each, provided the overall distance between the first and last axles of such consecutive sets of tandem axles is thirty-six feet or more.
(d) Notwithstanding divisions (b), (d), and (e) of this section, the maximum overall gross weight of vehicle and load imposed upon the road surface shall not exceed 80,000 pounds.
(e) Notwithstanding any other provision 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 twelve 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 forty inches but not more than ninety-six inches apart, extending across the full width of the vehicle.
(g) This section does not apply to passenger bus type vehicles operated by a regional transit authority pursuant to Ohio R.C. 306.30 to 306.54.
(Ord. 99-37. Passed 2-16-99.)