(A) (1) A person shall not operate a towing vehicle, having attached a mobile home having a body length in excess of 45 feet and having a combined length of over 60 feet, a realistic body width of over 100 inches at base rail, and a height of over 12.5 feet on the highways. However, the jurisdictional authority may issue permits to mobile home transport companies or to mobile home manufacturers or dealers, for the movement, in the ordinary course of their business, or mobile homes to width of 14-1/3 feet, plus normal appurtenances not to exceed six inches; of mobile homes to a realistic body length of 80 feet and having a combined length of 95 feet; of combinations of prebuilt housing modules or mobile homes having a total length of not to exceed 80 feet and having a combined length of 95 feet; of prebuilt housing modules or mobile homes to a width of 14-1/3 feet, plus an eave not to exceed two feet in width; or of prebuilt housing modules or mobile homes to a width of 16 feet moved in the upper peninsula of the state; over all highways, including interstate and defense highways.
(2) Special permits for the movement of prebuilt homes, whose width including two feet exceeds 14 feet and are transported on interstate highways, may be issued on a single trip basis only in accordance with § 74.022 of this chapter. A prebuilt housing module home whose width including an eave of two feet exceeds 14 feet shall be moved only on the lane furthest to the right of the operator of the vehicle moving the module or mobile home and shall be moved in a manner so that the eave portion of the module or mobile home shall overhang on the shoulder of the highway on which the module or mobile home is moved. The permit shall provide the days and the times of day, but not on Saturdays, Sundays, holidays or the noon before until the noon after a holiday, during which the movement shall take place. The permit shall be issued only upon condition that the permittee comply with permit requirements and limitation of law, to ensure the operation of a mobile home under permit in a manner which will not impede traffic on the highways and with safety in the movement of a mobile home, and only at a safe speed and when the pavement is not slippery. A mobile home that is 14 or more feet in width shall not be moved when the wind velocity exceeds 25 mph. On units exceeding 80 feet in overall combination length, of 12 feet in overall width, the permit shall provide that the mobile home be equipped with two flashing amber lights on the rear of the mobile home and one flashing amber light on the top of the towing vehicle. Signs with the words “oversize load” shall be displayed on the front bumper of the towing vehicle and the back of the mobile home. The signs shall be of durable material, in good condition, with black lettering on interstate yellow background. Each letter shall be of block lettering not less than 12 inches high at the front and not less than 16 inches high at the rear of the unit.
(3) A vehicle escort shall be required on those roads where the State Police consider escort vehicles necessary for highway safety. The distance between mobile home axle centers shall not be less than 34 inches. The axles and tires shall meet standards established by the state’s Transportation Department. This section shall not grant or give authority to the state’s Transportation Department that did not exist on 5-1-1982 in accordance with § 1 of Pub. Law No. 85-767, 23 U.S.C. § 127.
(B) As used in this section, MOBILE HOME means a prebuilt housing module or a home which is designed to be transported by a motor vehicle upon a public highway and designed, equipped, and used for sleeping, eating and living quarters, or is intended to be used for these purposes.
(Prior Code, § 22.1-53) (Ord. 885, passed 7-16-1990) Penalty, see § 74.999