(A) Vehicle load limits.
(1) Maximum single axle load. The total gross load imposed on any city street roadway by the wheels of any one single axle of a vehicle shall not exceed 20,000 pounds.
(2) Maximum tandem axle load.
(a) The total gross load imposed on any city roadway by two or more consecutive axles, shall not exceed 34,000 pounds.
(b) No one axle of any such group of two or more consecutive axles shall exceed the load permitted for a single axle.
(3) Total maximum vehicle weight. No vehicle, or combination of vehicles, shall be operated upon any city roadway when the gross weight is in excess of 80,000 pounds.
(4) Permitted overweight/oversize vehicles. Vehicles with appropriate up to date oversized and/or overweight permits through the State of Arkansas shall be exempt from this section when appropriate.
(B) Authority to weigh vehicles and require removal of excess loads.
(1) (a) Any police officer having reason to believe that the weight of a vehicle and load is unlawful is authorized to require the driver to stop and submit to a weighing, by means of either portable or stationary scales, and may require that the vehicle be driven to the nearest public scales.
(b) The provisions of this section shall not be applicable to vehicles owned and operated by the State of Arkansas or any city or county of this state.
(2) (a) Whenever an officer, upon weighing a vehicle and load as provided in division (B)(1) of this section, determines that the weight is unlawful, the officer may require the driver to stop the vehicle in a suitable place and remain standing until such portion of the load is removed as may be necessary to reduce the gross weight of the vehicle to the limit permitted under this section.
(b) All material so unloaded shall be cared for by the owner or operator of the vehicle at the risk of the owner or operator.
(C) No through trucks. The Public Works Director and the Chief of Police has the ability to designate streets inside the city limits a no commercial or a no through truck route if the street is not capable of handling trucks based on street size, safety or other reason. These streets will be properly marked with signage to prevent the flow of trucks.
(Ord. 2005-9-229, passed 9-12-05; Am. Ord. 2007-02-283, passed 2-6-07; Am. Ord. 2008-11-325, passed 11-4-08; Am. Ord. 2018-09-806, passed 9-4-18)