§ 46.2-1112. Length of vehicles, generally; special permits; tractor trucksemitrailer combinations, etc., operating on certain highways; penalty.
Except for buses and motor homes, no motor vehicle longer than 40 feet shallbe operated on any highway in the Commonwealth. The actual length of anycombination of vehicles coupled together including any load thereon shall notexceed a total of 65 feet. However, the length of a tractor truck semitrailercombination may exceed 65 feet in length, provided the semitrailer does notexceed 53 feet in length and the distance between the kingpin of thesemitrailer and the rearmost axle or a point midway between the rear tandemaxles does not exceed 41 feet. The Commonwealth Transportation Commissionermay impose restrictions on the operation of vehicles exceeding 65 feet inlength on certain roads, based on a safety and engineering analysis. No busor motor home longer than 45 feet shall be operated on any highway in theCommonwealth. No tolerance shall be allowed that exceeds 12 inches.
The Commissioner, however, when good cause is shown, may issue a specialpermit for combinations either in excess of 65 feet, including any loadthereon, or where the object or objects to be carried cannot be movedotherwise. Such permits may also be issued by the Department when the totalnumber of otherwise overdimensional loads of modular housing of no more thantwo units may be reduced by permitting the use of an overlength trailer notexceeding 54 feet. No permit shall be issued by the Commissioner until anengineering analysis of a proposed routing has been conducted by theCommonwealth Transportation Commissioner to assess the ability of the roadwayto be traversed to sustain the vehicle's size.
No overall length restrictions, however, shall be imposed on any tractortruck semitrailer combinations drawing one trailer or any tractor trucksemitrailer combinations when operated on any interstate highway or on anyhighway as designated by the Commonwealth Transportation Board. No suchdesignation shall be made, however, until notice of any proposed designationhas been provided by the Commonwealth Transportation Commissioner to thegoverning body of every locality wherein any highway affected by the proposeddesignation is located.
No individual semitrailer or trailer being drawn in a tractor trucksemitrailer trailer combination, however, shall exceed 28 1/2 feet in length,and no semitrailer being operated in a tractor truck semitrailer combinationshall exceed 48 feet in length, except when semitrailers have a distance ofnot more than 41 feet between the kingpin of the semitrailer and the rearmostaxle or a point midway between the rear tandem axles, such semitrailer shallbe allowed not more than 53 feet in length.
The length limitations on semitrailers and trailers in the foregoingprovisions of this section shall be exclusive of safety and energyconservation devices, steps and handholds for entry and egress, rubber dockguards, flexible fender extensions, mudflaps, refrigeration units, and aircompressors. The Commonwealth Transportation Board shall designate reasonableaccess to terminals, facilities for food, fuel, repairs and rest. Householdgoods carriers and any tractor truck semitrailer combination in which thesemitrailer has a length of no more than 28 1/2 feet shall not be deniedreasonable access to points of loading and unloading, except as designated,based on safety considerations, by the Commonwealth Transportation Board.
Any person operating a vehicle whose length is not in conformity with theprovisions of this chapter on a two-lane highway where passing is permittedshall be guilty of a traffic infraction and fined $250.
(Code 1950, § 46-328; 1950, p. 665; 1952, c. 342; 1956, cc. 476, 483; 1958,c. 541, § 46.1-330; 1962, c. 113; 1966, c. 59; 1972, c. 446; 1974, c. 664;1975, c. 104; 1978, c. 254; 1983, c. 515; 1985, c. 426; 1986, c. 417; 1989,cc. 644, 645, 727; 1993, c. 984; 1994, c. 456; 1995, c. 71; 1997, c. 773;2001, c. 151; 2003, c. 314; 2005, c. 262; 2006, cc. 210, 232.)
§ 46.2-1112. Length of vehicles, generally; special permits; tractor trucksemitrailer combinations, etc., operating on certain highways; penalty.
Except for buses and motor homes, no motor vehicle longer than 40 feet shallbe operated on any highway in the Commonwealth. The actual length of anycombination of vehicles coupled together including any load thereon shall notexceed a total of 65 feet. However, the length of a tractor truck semitrailercombination may exceed 65 feet in length, provided the semitrailer does notexceed 53 feet in length and the distance between the kingpin of thesemitrailer and the rearmost axle or a point midway between the rear tandemaxles does not exceed 41 feet. The Commonwealth Transportation Commissionermay impose restrictions on the operation of vehicles exceeding 65 feet inlength on certain roads, based on a safety and engineering analysis. No busor motor home longer than 45 feet shall be operated on any highway in theCommonwealth. No tolerance shall be allowed that exceeds 12 inches.
The Commissioner, however, when good cause is shown, may issue a specialpermit for combinations either in excess of 65 feet, including any loadthereon, or where the object or objects to be carried cannot be movedotherwise. Such permits may also be issued by the Department when the totalnumber of otherwise overdimensional loads of modular housing of no more thantwo units may be reduced by permitting the use of an overlength trailer notexceeding 54 feet. No permit shall be issued by the Commissioner until anengineering analysis of a proposed routing has been conducted by theCommonwealth Transportation Commissioner to assess the ability of the roadwayto be traversed to sustain the vehicle's size.
No overall length restrictions, however, shall be imposed on any tractortruck semitrailer combinations drawing one trailer or any tractor trucksemitrailer combinations when operated on any interstate highway or on anyhighway as designated by the Commonwealth Transportation Board. No suchdesignation shall be made, however, until notice of any proposed designationhas been provided by the Commonwealth Transportation Commissioner to thegoverning body of every locality wherein any highway affected by the proposeddesignation is located.
No individual semitrailer or trailer being drawn in a tractor trucksemitrailer trailer combination, however, shall exceed 28 1/2 feet in length,and no semitrailer being operated in a tractor truck semitrailer combinationshall exceed 48 feet in length, except when semitrailers have a distance ofnot more than 41 feet between the kingpin of the semitrailer and the rearmostaxle or a point midway between the rear tandem axles, such semitrailer shallbe allowed not more than 53 feet in length.
The length limitations on semitrailers and trailers in the foregoingprovisions of this section shall be exclusive of safety and energyconservation devices, steps and handholds for entry and egress, rubber dockguards, flexible fender extensions, mudflaps, refrigeration units, and aircompressors. The Commonwealth Transportation Board shall designate reasonableaccess to terminals, facilities for food, fuel, repairs and rest. Householdgoods carriers and any tractor truck semitrailer combination in which thesemitrailer has a length of no more than 28 1/2 feet shall not be deniedreasonable access to points of loading and unloading, except as designated,based on safety considerations, by the Commonwealth Transportation Board.
Any person operating a vehicle whose length is not in conformity with theprovisions of this chapter on a two-lane highway where passing is permittedshall be guilty of a traffic infraction and fined $250.
(Code 1950, § 46-328; 1950, p. 665; 1952, c. 342; 1956, cc. 476, 483; 1958,c. 541, § 46.1-330; 1962, c. 113; 1966, c. 59; 1972, c. 446; 1974, c. 664;1975, c. 104; 1978, c. 254; 1983, c. 515; 1985, c. 426; 1986, c. 417; 1989,cc. 644, 645, 727; 1993, c. 984; 1994, c. 456; 1995, c. 71; 1997, c. 773;2001, c. 151; 2003, c. 314; 2005, c. 262; 2006, cc. 210, 232.)
§ 46.2-1112. Length of vehicles, generally; special permits; tractor trucksemitrailer combinations, etc., operating on certain highways; penalty.
Except for buses and motor homes, no motor vehicle longer than 40 feet shallbe operated on any highway in the Commonwealth. The actual length of anycombination of vehicles coupled together including any load thereon shall notexceed a total of 65 feet. However, the length of a tractor truck semitrailercombination may exceed 65 feet in length, provided the semitrailer does notexceed 53 feet in length and the distance between the kingpin of thesemitrailer and the rearmost axle or a point midway between the rear tandemaxles does not exceed 41 feet. The Commonwealth Transportation Commissionermay impose restrictions on the operation of vehicles exceeding 65 feet inlength on certain roads, based on a safety and engineering analysis. No busor motor home longer than 45 feet shall be operated on any highway in theCommonwealth. No tolerance shall be allowed that exceeds 12 inches.
The Commissioner, however, when good cause is shown, may issue a specialpermit for combinations either in excess of 65 feet, including any loadthereon, or where the object or objects to be carried cannot be movedotherwise. Such permits may also be issued by the Department when the totalnumber of otherwise overdimensional loads of modular housing of no more thantwo units may be reduced by permitting the use of an overlength trailer notexceeding 54 feet. No permit shall be issued by the Commissioner until anengineering analysis of a proposed routing has been conducted by theCommonwealth Transportation Commissioner to assess the ability of the roadwayto be traversed to sustain the vehicle's size.
No overall length restrictions, however, shall be imposed on any tractortruck semitrailer combinations drawing one trailer or any tractor trucksemitrailer combinations when operated on any interstate highway or on anyhighway as designated by the Commonwealth Transportation Board. No suchdesignation shall be made, however, until notice of any proposed designationhas been provided by the Commonwealth Transportation Commissioner to thegoverning body of every locality wherein any highway affected by the proposeddesignation is located.
No individual semitrailer or trailer being drawn in a tractor trucksemitrailer trailer combination, however, shall exceed 28 1/2 feet in length,and no semitrailer being operated in a tractor truck semitrailer combinationshall exceed 48 feet in length, except when semitrailers have a distance ofnot more than 41 feet between the kingpin of the semitrailer and the rearmostaxle or a point midway between the rear tandem axles, such semitrailer shallbe allowed not more than 53 feet in length.
The length limitations on semitrailers and trailers in the foregoingprovisions of this section shall be exclusive of safety and energyconservation devices, steps and handholds for entry and egress, rubber dockguards, flexible fender extensions, mudflaps, refrigeration units, and aircompressors. The Commonwealth Transportation Board shall designate reasonableaccess to terminals, facilities for food, fuel, repairs and rest. Householdgoods carriers and any tractor truck semitrailer combination in which thesemitrailer has a length of no more than 28 1/2 feet shall not be deniedreasonable access to points of loading and unloading, except as designated,based on safety considerations, by the Commonwealth Transportation Board.
Any person operating a vehicle whose length is not in conformity with theprovisions of this chapter on a two-lane highway where passing is permittedshall be guilty of a traffic infraction and fined $250.
(Code 1950, § 46-328; 1950, p. 665; 1952, c. 342; 1956, cc. 476, 483; 1958,c. 541, § 46.1-330; 1962, c. 113; 1966, c. 59; 1972, c. 446; 1974, c. 664;1975, c. 104; 1978, c. 254; 1983, c. 515; 1985, c. 426; 1986, c. 417; 1989,cc. 644, 645, 727; 1993, c. 984; 1994, c. 456; 1995, c. 71; 1997, c. 773;2001, c. 151; 2003, c. 314; 2005, c. 262; 2006, cc. 210, 232.)
