State Codes and Statutes

Statutes > Nebraska > Chapter60 > 60-6_294

60-6,294. Vehicles; weight limit; further restrictions by department, whenauthorized; axle load; load limit on bridges; overloading; liability.(1)Every vehicle, whether operated singly or in a combination of vehicles, andevery combination of vehicles shall comply with subsections (2) and (3) ofthis section except as provided in sections 60-6,294.01 and 60-6,297. Thelimitations imposed by this section shall be supplemental to all other provisionsimposing limitations upon the size and weight of vehicles.(2)No wheel of a vehicle or trailer equipped with pneumatic or solid rubber tiresshall carry a gross load in excess of ten thousand pounds on any highway norshall any axle carry a gross load in excess of twenty thousand pounds on anyhighway. An axle load shall be defined as the total load transmitted to thehighway by all wheels the centers of which may be included between two paralleltransverse vertical planes forty inches apart extending across the full widthof the vehicle.(3) No group of two or more consecutive axlesshall carry a load in pounds in excess of the value given in the followingtable corresponding to the distance in feet between the extreme axles of thegroup, measured longitudinally to the nearest foot, except that the maximumload carried on any group of two or more axles shall not exceed eighty thousandpounds on the National System of Interstate and Defense Highways unless theDirector-State Engineer pursuant to section 60-6,295 authorizes a greaterweight.Distance in feet Maximum load in pounds carried betweenthe on any group of two or moreextremes of consecutive axlesany group of two or more consecutiveTwoThreeFourFiveSixSevenaxlesAxlesAxlesAxlesAxlesAxlesAxles434,000534,000634,000734,000834,00042,000939,00042,5001040,00043,5001144,0001245,00050,0001345,50050,5001446,50051,5001547,00052,0001648,00052,50058,0001748,50053,50058,5001849,50054,00059,0001950,00054,50060,0002051,00055,50060,5002151,50056,00061,0002252,50056,50061,5002353,00057,50062,5002454,00058,00063,0002554,50058,50063,50069,0002655,50059,50064,00069,5002756,00060,00065,00070,0002857,00060,50065,50071,0002957,50061,50066,00071,5003058,50062,00066,50072,0003159,00062,50067,50072,5003260,00063,50068,00073,0003364,00068,50074,0003464,50069,00074,5003565,50070,00075,0003666,00070,50075,5003766,50071,00076,00081,5003867,50072,00077,00082,0003968,00072,50077,50082,5004068,50073,00078,00083,5004169,50073,50078,50084,0004270,00074,00079,00084,5004370,50075,00080,00085,0004471,50075,50080,50085,5004572,00076,00081,00086,0004672,50076,50081,50087,0004773,50077,50082,00087,5004874,00078,00083,00088,0004974,50078,50083,50088,5005075,50079,00084,00089,0005176,00080,00084,50089,5005276,50080,50085,00090,5005377,50081,00086,00091,0005478,00081,50086,50091,5005578,50082,50087,00092,0005679,50083,00087,50092,5005780,00083,50088,00093,0005884,00089,00094,0005985,00089,50094,5006085,50090,00095,000 (4)The distance between axles shall be measured to the nearest foot. When a fractionis exactly one-half foot, the next larger whole number shall be used, exceptthat:(a) Any group of three axles shall be restricted to a maximumload of thirty-four thousand pounds unless the distance between the extremesof the first and third axles is at least ninety-six inches in fact; and(b)The maximum gross load on any group of two axles, the distance between theextremes of which is more than eight feet but less than eight feet six inches,shall be thirty-eight thousand pounds.(5) The limitations ofsubsections (2) through (4) of this section shall apply as stated to all main,rural, and intercity highways but shall not be construed as inhibiting heavieraxle loads in metropolitan areas, except on the National System of Interstateand Defense Highways, if such loads are not prohibited by city ordinance.(6)The weight limitations of wheel and axle loads as defined in subsections (2)through (4) of this section shall be restricted to the extent deemed necessaryby the Department of Roads for a reasonable period when road subgrades orpavements are weak or are materially weakened by climatic conditions.(7)Two consecutive sets of tandem axles may carry a gross load of thirty-fourthousand pounds each when the overall distance between the first and lastaxles of such consecutive sets of tandem axles is thirty-six, thirty-seven,or thirty-eight feet except as provided in section 60-6,297. Such vehiclesshall be subject to section 60-6,301.(8) If any vehicle crossesa bridge with a total gross load in excess of the posted capacity of suchbridge and as a result of such crossing any damage results to the bridge,the owner of such vehicle shall be responsible for all of such damage.(9)Vehicles equipped with a greater number of axles than provided in the tablesin subsection (3) of this section shall be legal if they do not exceed themaximum load upon any wheel or axle, the maximum load upon any group of twoor more consecutive axles, and the total gross weight, or any of such weightsas provided in subsections (2) and (3) of this section.(10) Subsections(1) through (9) of this section shall not apply to a vehicle which has beenissued a permit pursuant to section 60-6,299, self-propelled specialized mobileequipment with a fixed load when the requirements of subdivision (2)(i) ofsection 60-6,288 are met, or an emergency vehicle when the requirements ofsubdivision (1)(a)(v) of section 60-6,298 are met.(11) Any twoconsecutive axles the centers of which are more than forty inches and notmore than ninety-six inches apart, measured to the nearest inch between anytwo adjacent axles in the series, shall be defined as tandem axles, and thegross weight transmitted to the road surface through such series shall notexceed thirty-four thousand pounds. No axle of the series shall exceed themaximum weight permitted under this section for a single axle.(12)Dummy axles shall be disregarded in determining the lawful weight of a vehicleor vehicle combination for operation on the highway. Dummy axle shall meanan axle attached to a vehicle or vehicle combination in a manner so that itdoes not articulate or substantially equalize the load and does not carryat least the lesser of eight thousand pounds or eight percent of the grossweight of the vehicle or vehicle combination.(13) The maximumgross weight limit and the axle weight limit for any vehicle or combinationof vehicles equipped with idle reduction technology may be increased by anamount necessary to compensate for the additional weight of the idle reductiontechnology as provided in 23 U.S.C. 127(a)(12), as such section existed onJuly 18, 2008. The additional amount of weight allowed by this subsectionshall not exceed four hundred pounds and shall not be construed to be in additionto the five-percent-in-excess-of-maximum-load provision of subdivision (1)of section 60-6,301. SourceLaws1933, c. 105, § 4, p. 426; Laws 1939, c. 50, § 2, p. 218; C.S.Supp.,1941, § 39-1035; Laws 1943, c. 133, § 2, p. 446; R.S.1943, § 39-722; Laws 1945, c. 91, § 1, p. 312; Laws 1947, c. 147, § 1, p. 403; Laws 1953, c. 131, § 9, p. 404; Laws 1953, c. 134, § 1, p. 416; Laws 1959, c. 164, § 2, p. 600; Laws 1969, c. 318, § 1, p. 1150; C.S.Supp.,1972, § 39-722; Laws 1980, LB 284, § 4; Laws 1982, LB 383, § 2; Laws 1984, LB 726, § 1; Laws 1985, LB 553, § 6; Laws 1987, LB 132, § 1; Laws 1990, LB 369, § 4; R.S.Supp.,1992, § 39-6,180; Laws 1993, LB 370, § 390; Laws 1995, LB 186, § 1; Laws 1996, LB 1104, § 4; Laws 2000, LB 1361, § 8; Laws 2005, LB 82, § 3; Laws 2008, LB756, § 26. Cross ReferencesSpecialload restrictions, rules and regulations of Department of Roads,adoption, penalty, see sections 39-102 and 39-103.Weighingstations, see sections 60-1301 to 60-1309. AnnotationsComplaintcharging violation of this section was within jurisdiction of justice of thepeace. Conkling v. DeLany, 167 Neb. 4, 91 N.W.2d 250 (1958).Limitationof weight on group of axles was proper exercise of police power. State v.Luttrell, 159 Neb. 641, 68 N.W.2d 332 (1955).An absolute liabilityarises when truck in excess of posted weight causes bridge to collapse. CentralNeb. Public Power & Irrigation Dist. v. Boettcher, 154 Neb. 815, 49 N.W.2d690 (1951).