No vehicle, trackless trolley, load, object or structure having a maximum axle load greater than 20,000 pounds shall be operated or moved upon improved public highways, streets, bridges or culverts. The maximum wheel load of any one wheel of any such vehicle shall not exceed 650 pounds per inch width of pneumatic tire, measured as prescribed by Ohio R.C. 5577.03.
(a) The weight of vehicle and load imposed upon the road surface by vehicles with pneumatic tires shall not exceed the following:
(1) By any two successive axles, spaced four feet or less apart, and weighed simultaneously, 24,000 pounds;
(2) By any two successive axles, spaced more than four feet apart, and weighed simultaneously, 34,000 pounds, plus 1,000 pounds per foot, or fraction thereof, over four feet, not to exceed 40,000 pounds.
(b) The weight of vehicle and load imposed upon the road surface by vehicles with pneumatic tires, by any three successive load-bearing axles designed to equalize the load between such axles and spaced so that each such axle of the three-axle group is more than four feet from the next axle in the three-axle group and so that the spacing between the first axle and the third axle of the three-axle group is more than nine feet, shall be computed using either of the following methods:
(1) Such load-bearing three-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 upon the road surface shall not exceed 80,000 pounds.
(2) Such load-bearing three-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 six-axle vehicle combination, with at least twenty 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 upon the road surface shall not exceed 80,000 pounds.
The total weight of vehicle and load utilizing any combination of axles, other than as provided for three-axle groups in subsection (b) hereof, 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 upon the road surface by vehicles with pneumatic tires shall not exceed 80,000 pounds.
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 shall limit the spacing between nearest axles of the respective vehicles to a distance not in excess of twelve feet and six inches.
(c) The owner of said vehicle and or the operator of said vehicle and/or any other responsible party who contributes; aids, and abets in any violation of this provision of this section on a first offense is guilty of a misdemeanor of the third degree; on a second offense within two years after the first offense, the person is guilty of a misdemeanor of the second degree; on each subsequent offense within five years after the first offense, the person is guilty of a misdemeanor of the first degree. (Ord. 2005-119. Passed 12-8-05.)