§ 74.52  WEIGHT LIMITS; TOWING CONNECTION LENGTH.
   No vehicle, trackless trolley, load, object, or structure having a maximum axle load greater than 20,000 pounds shall be operated or moved on improved public highways, streets, bridges, or culverts.  The maximum wheel load of any 1 wheel of any such vehicle shall not exceed 650 pounds per inch width of pneumatic tire, measured as prescribed by R.C. § 5577.03.
   (A)   The weight of vehicle and load imposed on the road surface by vehicles with pneumatic tires shall not exceed the following:
      (1)   By any 2 successive axles, spaced 4 feet or less apart, and weighed simultaneously, 24,000 pounds.
      (2)   By any 2 successive axles, spaced more than 4 feet apart, and weighed simultaneously, 34,000 pounds, plus 1,000 pounds per foot, or fraction thereof, over 4 feet, not to exceed 40,000 pounds.
   (B)   The weight of vehicle and load imposed on the road surface by vehicles with pneumatic tires, by any 3 successive load-bearing axles designed to equalize the load between such axles and spaced so that each such axle of the 3-axle group is more than 4 feet from the next axle in the 3-axle group and so that the spacing between the first axle and the third axle of the 3-axle group is no more than 9 feet, shall be computed using either of the following methods:
      (1)   Such load-bearing 3-axle group shall be weighed simultaneously as a unit and shall not exceed 48,000 pounds. The total weight of vehicle and load shall not exceed 38,000 pounds plus an additional 900 pounds for each foot of spacing between the front axle and the rearmost axle of the vehicle provided, that the total weight of the vehicle and load imposed on the road surface shall not exceed 80,000 pounds.
      (2)   Such load-bearing 3-axle group shall be weighed simultaneously as a unit and shall not exceed 42,500 pounds.  The total weight of vehicle and load of a 6-axle vehicle combination, with at least 20 feet of spacing between the front axle and rearmost axle, shall not exceed 54,000 pounds plus an additional 600 pounds for each foot of spacing between the front axle and the rearmost axle of the vehicle, provided that the total weight of the vehicle and load imposed on the road surface shall not exceed 80,000 pounds.
   (C)   The total weight of vehicle and load utilizing any combination of axles, other than as provided for 3-axle groups in division (B) of this section, shall not exceed 38,000 pounds plus an additional 900 pounds for each foot of spacing between the front axle and rearmost axle of the vehicle, provided that the total weight of a vehicle and load imposed on the road surface by vehicles with pneumatic tires shall not exceed 80,000 pounds.
   (D)   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 axle of the respective vehicles to a distance not in excess of 12 feet and 6 inches.
   (E)   Whoever violates the weight provisions of this section shall be fined $80 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 $100, and in addition thereto $1 per 100 pounds of overload; for overloads in excess of 5,000 pounds but not in excess of 10,000 pounds, such person shall be fined $130, and in addition thereto $2 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 $160, and in addition thereto $3 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 $100. No penalty prescribed in this division (B)(2) shall be imposed on any vehicle combination if the overload on any 1 axle does not exceed 1,000 pounds, and if the immediately preceding or following axle, excepting the front axle of the vehicle combination, is underloaded by the same or greater amount. For purposes of this division (B)(2), 2 axles on 1 vehicle less than 8 feet apart shall be considered as 1 axle.
(R.C. § 5577.99(A))
   (F)   Whoever violates any other provisions of this section is guilty of a minor misdemeanor on a first offense; on a second or subsequent offense, such person is guilty of a misdemeanor of the fourth degree.
(R.C. § 5577.99(C))  (1974 Code, §§ 71.35, 71.99)  (Ord. 29-82, passed 6-21-1982)