SENATE BILL No. 1124
February 19, 2002, Introduced by Senator NORTH and referred to the Committee on
Transportation and Tourism.
A bill to amend 1949 PA 300, entitled
"Michigan vehicle code,"
by amending sections 717 and 719 (MCL 257.717 and 257.719), sec-
tion 717 as amended by 2000 PA 7 and section 719 as amended by
2000 PA 306.
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF MICHIGAN ENACT:
1 Sec. 717. (1) The total outside width of a vehicle or the
2 load on a vehicle shall not exceed 96 inches, except as otherwise
3 provided in this section.
4 (2) A person may operate or move an implement of husbandry
5 of any width on a highway as required, designed, and intended for
6 farming operations, including the movement of implements of hus-
7 bandry being driven or towed and not hauled on a trailer, without
8 obtaining a special permit for an excessively wide vehicle or
9 load under section 725. The operation or movement of the
05991'01 JJG
2
1 implement of husbandry shall be in a manner so as to minimize the
2 interruption of traffic flow. A person shall not operate or move
3 an implement of husbandry to the left of the center of the road-
4 way from a half hour after sunset to a half hour before sunrise,
5 under the conditions specified in section 639, or at any time
6 visibility is substantially diminished due to weather
7 conditions. A person operating or moving an implement of hus-
8 bandry shall follow all traffic regulations.
9 (3) The total outside width of the load of a vehicle hauling
10 concrete pipe, agricultural products, or unprocessed logs, pulp-
11 wood, or wood bolts shall not exceed 108 inches.
12 (4) Except as provided in
subsection
SUBSECTIONS (2) AND
13 (5) and this subsection, if a vehicle that is equipped with pneu-
14 matic tires is operated on a highway, the maximum width from the
15 outside of 1 wheel and tire to the outside of the opposite wheel
16 and tire shall not exceed 102 inches, and the outside width of
17 the body of the vehicle or the load on the vehicle shall not
18 exceed 96 inches. However, a truck and trailer or a tractor and
19 semitrailer combination hauling pulpwood or unprocessed logs may
20 be operated with a maximum width of not to exceed 108 inches in
21 accordance with a special permit issued under section 725.
22 (5) The total outside BODY width of a bus, A TRAILER COACH,
23 A TRUCK CAMPER, or a motor home shall not exceed 102 inches.
24 HOWEVER, AN APPURTENANCE OF A BUS, A TRAILER COACH, A TRUCK
25 CAMPER, OR A MOTOR HOME THAT EXTENDS NOT MORE THAN 6 INCHES
26 BEYOND THE TOTAL OUTSIDE BODY WIDTH IS NOT A VIOLATION OF THIS
27 SECTION.
05991'01
3
1 (6) A vehicle shall not extend beyond the center line of a
2 state trunk line highway except when authorized by law. Except
3 as provided in subsection (2), if the width of the vehicle makes
4 it impossible to stay away from the center line, a permit shall
5 be obtained under section 725.
6 (7) The director of the state transportation department, a
7 county road commission, or a local authority may designate a
8 highway under the agency's jurisdiction as a highway on which a
9 person may operate a vehicle or vehicle combination that is not
10 more than 102 inches in width, including load, the operation of
11 which would otherwise be prohibited by this section. The agency
12 making the designation may require that the owner or lessee of
13 the vehicle or of each vehicle in the vehicle combination secure
14 a permit before operating the vehicle or vehicle combination.
15 This subsection does not restrict the issuance of a special
16 permit under section 725 for the operation of a vehicle or vehi-
17 cle combination. This subsection does not permit the operation
18 of a vehicle or vehicle combination described in section 722a
19 carrying a load described in that section if the operation would
20 otherwise result in a violation of that section.
21 (8) A person who violates this section is responsible for a
22 civil infraction. The owner of the vehicle may be charged with a
23 violation of this section.
24 Sec. 719. (1) A vehicle unloaded or with load shall not
25 exceed a height of 13 feet 6 inches. The owner of a vehicle that
26 collides with a lawfully established bridge or viaduct is liable
27 for all damage and injury resulting from a collision caused by
05991'01
4
1 the height of the vehicle, whether the clearance of the bridge or
2 viaduct is posted or not.
3 (2) Lengths described in this subsection shall be known as
4 the normal length maximum. Except as provided in subsection (3),
5 the following vehicles and combinations of vehicles shall not be
6 operated on a highway in this state in excess of these lengths:
7 (a) Any single vehicle: 40 feet; any single bus OR MOTOR
8 HOME: 45 feet.
9 (b) Articulated buses: 65 feet.
10 (c) Notwithstanding any other provision of this section, a
11 combination of a truck and semitrailer or trailer, or a truck
12 tractor, semitrailer, and trailer, or truck tractor and semi-
13 trailer or trailer, designed and used exclusively to transport
14 assembled motor vehicles or bodies, recreational vehicles, or
15 boats, that does not exceed a length of 65 feet. Stinger-steered
16 combinations shall not exceed a length of 75 feet. The load on
17 the combinations of vehicles described in this subdivision may
18 extend an additional 3 feet beyond the front and 4 feet beyond
19 the rear of the combinations of vehicles. Retractable extensions
20 used to support and secure the load that do not extend beyond the
21 allowable overhang for the front and rear shall not be included
22 in determining length of a loaded vehicle or vehicle
23 combination.
24 (d) Truck tractor and semitrailer combinations: no overall
25 length, the semitrailer not to exceed 50 feet.
26 (e) Truck and semitrailer or trailer: 59 feet.
05991'01
5
1 (f) Truck tractor, semitrailer, and trailer, or truck
2 tractor and 2 semitrailers: 59 feet.
3 (g) More than 1 motor vehicle, wholly or partially assem-
4 bled, in combination, utilizing 1 tow bar or 3 saddle mounts with
5 full mount mechanisms and utilizing the motive power of 1 of the
6 vehicles in combination, not to exceed 55 feet.
7 (3) Notwithstanding subsection (2), the following vehicles
8 and combinations of vehicles shall not be operated on a desig-
9 nated highway of this state in excess of these lengths:
10 (a) Truck tractor and semitrailer combinations: no overall
11 length limit, the semitrailer not to exceed 53 feet. All semi-
12 trailers longer than 50 feet shall have a wheelbase of 40.5 feet
13 plus or minus 0.5 feet, measured from the kingpin coupling to the
14 center of the rear axle or the center of the tandem axle assembly
15 if equipped with 2 axles. A semitrailer with a length longer
16 than 50 feet shall not operate with more than 2 axles on the
17 semitrailer. City, village, or county authorities may prohibit
18 stops of vehicles with a semitrailer longer than 50 feet within
19 their jurisdiction unless the stop occurs along appropriately
20 designated routes, or is necessary for emergency purposes or to
21 reach shippers, receivers, warehouses, and terminals along desig-
22 nated routes.
23 (b) Truck and semitrailer or trailer combinations: 65 feet,
24 except that a person may operate a truck and semitrailer or
25 trailer designed and used to transport saw logs, pulpwood, and
26 tree length poles that does not exceed an overall length of 70
27 feet. A person may operate a truck tractor and semitrailer
05991'01
6
1 designed and used to transport saw logs, pulpwood, and tree
2 length wooden poles with a load overhang to the rear of the semi-
3 trailer which does not exceed 6 feet if the semitrailer does not
4 exceed 50 feet in length.
5 (c) Truck tractor and 2 semitrailers, or truck tractor,
6 semitrailer, and trailer combinations: no overall length limit,
7 if the length of each semitrailer or trailer does not exceed
8 28-1/2 feet each, or the overall length of the semitrailer and
9 trailer, or 2 semitrailers as measured from the front of the
10 first towed unit to the rear of the second towed unit while the
11 units are coupled together does not exceed 58 feet.
12 (d) More than 1 motor vehicle, wholly or partially assem-
13 bled, in combination, utilizing 1 tow bar or 3 saddle mounts with
14 full mount mechanisms and utilizing the motive power of 1 of the
15 vehicles in combination, not to exceed 75 feet.
16 (4) The following combinations and movements are
17 prohibited:
18 (a) A truck shall not haul more than 1 trailer or semitrail-
19 er, and a truck tractor shall not haul more than 2 semitrailers
20 or 1 semitrailer and 1 trailer in combination at any 1 time,
21 except that a farm tractor may haul 2 wagons or trailers, or gar-
22 bage and refuse haulers may, during daylight hours, haul up to 4
23 trailers for garbage and refuse collection purposes, not exceed-
24 ing in any combination a total length of 55 feet and at a speed
25 limit not to exceed 15 miles per hour.
26 (b) A combination of vehicles or a vehicle shall not have
27 more than 11 axles, except when operating under a valid permit
05991'01
7
1 issued by the state transportation department or a local
2 authority with respect to a highway under its jurisdiction.
3 (c) Any combination of vehicles not specifically authorized
4 under this section is prohibited.
5 (d) A combination of 2 semitrailers pulled by a truck trac-
6 tor, unless each semitrailer uses a fifth wheel connecting assem-
7 bly which conforms to the requirements of the motor carrier
8 safety act of 1963, 1963 PA 181, MCL 480.11 to 480.22.
9 (e) A vehicle or a combination of vehicles shall not carry a
10 load extending more than 3 feet beyond the front of the lead
11 vehicle.
12 (f) A vehicle described in subsections (2)(e) and (3)(d)
13 employing triple saddle mounts unless all wheels that are in con-
14 tact with the roadway have operating brakes.
15 (5) All combinations of vehicles under this section shall
16 employ connecting assemblies and lighting devices that are in
17 compliance with the motor carrier safety act of 1963, 1963 PA
18 181, MCL 480.11 to 480.22.
19 (6) The total gross weight of a truck tractor, semitrailer,
20 and trailer combination or a truck tractor and 2 semitrailers
21 combination that exceeds 59 feet in length shall not exceed a
22 ratio of 400 pounds per engine net horsepower delivered to clutch
23 or its equivalent specified in the handbook published by the
24 society of automotive engineers, inc. (SAE), 1977 edition.
25 (7) A person who violates this section is responsible for a
26 civil infraction. The owner of the vehicle may be charged with a
27 violation of this section.
05991'01
8
1 (8) As used in this section:
2 (a) "Designated highway" means a highway approved by the
3 state transportation department or a local authority with respect
4 to a highway under its jurisdiction.
5 (b) "Length" means the total length of a vehicle, or combi-
6 nation of vehicles, including any load the vehicle is carrying.
7 Length does not include safety and energy conservation devices
8 including, but not limited to, impact absorbing bumpers, rear
9 view mirrors, turn signal lamps, marker lamps, steps and hand
10 holds for entry and egress, flexible fender extensions, mud
11 flaps, or splash and spray suppressant devices; load induced tire
12 bulge; refrigeration or heating units; or air compressors
13 attached to the vehicle. A safety or energy conservation device
14 shall be excluded from a determination of length only if it is
15 not designed or used for the carrying of cargo, freight, or
16 equipment. Semitrailers and trailers shall be measured from the
17 front vertical plane of the foremost transverse load supporting
18 structure to the rearmost transverse load supporting structure.
19 (c) "Stinger-steered combinations" means a truck tractor and
20 semitrailer combination in which the fifth wheel is located on a
21 drop frame located behind and below the rearmost axle of the
22 power unit.
05991'01 Final page. JJG