2012 -- H 7160

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LC00648

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STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2012

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A N A C T

RELATING TO MOTOR AND OTHER VEHICLES

     Introduced By: Representatives Messier, Johnston, DaSilva, San Bento, and E Coderre

     Date Introduced: January 18, 2012

     Referred To: House Finance

It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

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     SECTION 1. Section 31-25-30 of the General Laws in Chapter 31-25 entitled "Size,

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Weight, and Load Limits" is hereby amended to read as follows:

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     31-25-30. Axle restriction on the Pawtucket River Bridge and the Sakonnet River

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Bridge Axle restriction on the Pawtucket River Bridge. [Repealed effective June 12, 2013.] -

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- (a) It shall be unlawful to transport or operate over or upon the Pawtucket River Bridge or the

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Sakonnet River Bridge, any single vehicle equipped with more than two (2) axles or any

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combination vehicle equipped with more than two (2) axles per unit except those listed in this

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section.

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      (b) The director of the department of transportation is directed to post signs to limit

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access as prescribed in subsection (a) of this section.

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      (c) The following vehicles shall be exempt from the provisions of this section: any and

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all emergency vehicles, state vehicles, municipal vehicles, truck tractors as defined in section 31-

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1-4 and Rhode Island public transit authority vehicles.

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      (d) For the purposes of this section, "carrier" means and includes any company or person

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who furthers their commercial or private enterprise by use of the vehicle.

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      (e) Any carrier operating a vehicle or combination of vehicles in violation of this section

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shall be fined three thousand dollars ($3,000) for the first offense, not to exceed five thousand

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dollars ($5,000) for each and every subsequent offense. Monies collected in fines from violations

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of this section shall be placed into a restricted receipt account as provided for in subsection (g)

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herein.

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      (f) Nothing in this provision shall waive or modify existing restrictions on the bridges as

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defined in section 31-25-27.

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     (g) There is hereby created within the general fund a restricted receipt account entitled

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the “Pawtucket River and Division Street Bridge Account,” the proceeds of which shall be used

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for the repair, maintenance, and restoration of all streets and roads directly used as a detour off of,

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from, and/or to the Division Street Bridge, as necessary, and to assist businesses affected and

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impacted by such detours. To the extent the funds in said account exceed the amounts needed to

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carry out the provisions of this subsection and of subsection (h) herein, such excessive funds shall

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be deposited into the general fund.

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     (h) The Division Street Bridge shall be inspected every six (6) months. Any costs

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associated with said bridge inspection shall be paid from the restricted receipt account provided

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for in subsection (g) herein.

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     SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.

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LC00648

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EXPLANATION

BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

OF

A N A C T

RELATING TO MOTOR AND OTHER VEHICLES

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     This act would establish a restricted receipt account to pay for the repair, maintenance,

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and restoration of all streets and roads used as a detour off of, from, or to the Division Street

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Bridge. The account would be funded through fines collected from violations of Rhode Island

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General Laws section 31-25-30. This would also remove certain vehicle restrictions pertaining to

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the Sakonnet River Bridge.

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     This act would take effect upon passage.

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LC00648

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