| Chapter 030 |
| 2025 -- H 5730 SUBSTITUTE A Enacted 06/10/2025 |
| A N A C T |
| RELATING TO MOTOR AND OTHER VEHICLES -- SIZE, WEIGHT, AND LOAD LIMITS |
Introduced By: Representatives Speakman, Boylan, Cortvriend, Edwards, and Casey |
| Date Introduced: February 26, 2025 |
| It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows: |
| SECTION 1. Section 31-25-21 of the General Laws in Chapter 31-25 entitled "Size, |
| Weight, and Load Limits" is hereby amended to read as follows: |
| 31-25-21. Power to permit excess size or weight of loads. |
| (a) The department of transportation, with respect to highways under its jurisdiction, may, |
| in its discretion, upon application in writing and good cause being shown for it, approve the |
| issuance of a special permit in writing authorizing the applicant to operate or move a vehicle, or |
| combination of vehicles, of a size or weight of vehicle or load exceeding eighty thousand pounds |
| (80,000 lbs.) or otherwise not in conformity with the provisions of chapters 1 — 27 of this title |
| upon any highway under the jurisdiction of the party granting the permit and for the maintenance |
| of which the party is responsible. Permits that have been issued for a full year shall not be required |
| to be renewed for the period of time for which payment has been made and the application and |
| other required documentation has been completed and filed. Provided, that neither the department |
| of transportation nor the local authorities may approve the issuance of permits for divisible loads |
| weighing in excess of the limits set by the director of the department of transportation by and |
| through the rules and regulations promulgated by the department of transportation entitled “rules |
| and regulations regarding overweight and oversize vehicle permits”. |
| (1) Provided, however, that for milk products, any vehicle carrying fluid milk products |
| shall be considered a load that cannot be easily dismantled or divided. |
| (b) The director of the department of transportation may enter into agreements with other |
| states, the District of Columbia, and Canadian provinces providing for the reciprocal enforcement |
| of the overweight or over-dimensional vehicle permit laws of those jurisdictions entering into the |
| agreement. |
| (c) Single trip non-divisible permit fee. A fee of forty dollars ($40.00) shall be paid to the |
| department of transportation for the issuance of each non-divisible single trip permit. Upon |
| approval of the application, the department of transportation shall provide the approved permit. The |
| driver must possess the permit and documentation as required by the permit at all times. |
| (d) Annual construction equipment blanket permit fee. An annual fee of four hundred |
| dollars ($400) paid to the department of transportation shall exempt the payor from the necessity |
| of paying single trip permit fees for non-divisible construction equipment loads, boats, or marine |
| assets of less than one hundred thirty thousand pounds (130,000 lbs.) as found in subsection (c). |
| However, payment of the fee shall not be deemed to authorize noncompliance with the rules and |
| regulations promulgated by the department of transportation entitled “rules and regulations |
| regarding overweight and oversize vehicle permits”. |
| (e) Blanket construction equipment permits may be issued, as determined by the |
| department of transportation, for intrastate movement of non-divisible construction equipment |
| loads, boats or marine assets upon payment of the fee set forth in subsection (d). If used in |
| conjunction with an annual divisible load permit, the limits and requirements of the blanket |
| construction equipment permit shall supersede the requirements of the divisible load permit. The |
| driver must possess both permits and all required documentation. The duration of the blanket permit |
| may not exceed one year. The construction equipment blanket permit load shall be limited to a |
| minimum overall length of fifty-five feet (55′), a maximum overall length of eighty feet (80′), a |
| maximum width of twelve feet four inches (12′ 4″), a maximum gross weight of one hundred thirty |
| thousand pounds (130,000 lbs.), and a maximum axle weight of twenty-five thousand pounds |
| (25,000 lbs.); provided, that the department of transportation, with respect to highways under its |
| jurisdiction, may, in its discretion and upon application and for good cause shown, approve the |
| issuance of a single trip non-divisible permit authorizing the applicant to exceed one hundred thirty |
| thousand pounds (130,000 lbs.) for non-divisible loads. A flashing amber light shall be in operation |
| above the highest point of the vehicle and shall be visible from both the front and rear of the vehicle; |
| and signs and red warning flags shall be affixed to all extremities. All blanket permits issued in |
| accordance with this section shall be effective during daylight and night-time hours for all over- |
| dimensional moves made and travel shall be allowed on state highways. The specifically described |
| vehicle must be certified originally by the manufacturer to possess the braking and carrying |
| capacity for the weight specified on the application. |
| (f) Permission to travel is always subject to weather and road conditions. The following |
| restrictions on travel times shall apply to all vehicles over eight feet six inches (8′ 6″) wide, over |
| eighty feet (80′) long, or over one hundred thirty thousand pounds (130,000 lbs.): |
| (1) Freeways and arterial roadways. |
| No travel will be allowed between the hours of 7:00 a.m. and 9:00 a.m. or between 3:00 |
| p.m. and 7:00 p.m., Monday through Friday. |
| (2) [Deleted by P.L. 2022, ch. 178, § 1 and P.L. 2022, ch. 179, § 1.] |
| (3) Holidays. |
| Memorial Day, Victory Day, Labor Day, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day, and Columbus |
| Day — No Saturday, Sunday, or Monday day or night travel. |
| Thanksgiving Day — No travel on Wednesday through Sunday of Thanksgiving week in |
| any calendar year. |
| Independence Day, Veterans Day, Christmas Day, New Year’s Day — No day or night |
| travel and no travel the previous night. |
| Easter Sunday. No Saturday night or Sunday travel. |
| (4) Violations of this section are subject to fines enumerated in § 31-25-24. |
| (g) Construction equipment blanket Blanket permits shall not be granted for travel over the |
| following bridges: |
| Blackstone River Viaduct 750 carrying I-295 northbound and southbound over the |
| Blackstone River; |
| Kingston Road Bridge No. 403 carrying I-95 northbound and southbound over Kingston |
| Road. |
| (h) Travel of blanket permitted construction equipment permits through zones with |
| reductions in lane width such as construction zones will not be allowed. Prior to travel, blanket |
| permit holders are responsible to verify the location of construction zones and lane width |
| reductions. Locations of lane width reduction zones are available through the state department of |
| transportation’s construction office. |
| (i) Upon approval of the annual construction equipment blanket permit application, the |
| department of transportation shall provide the approved permit. The driver must possess the permit |
| and documentation as required by the permit at all times. |
| (j) Any carrier or persons found to be operating without a required permit, or in excess of |
| their permit limits, three (3) times within a one-year period shall be revoked of their ability to use |
| and receive permits within the state for up to thirty (30) days. Additional violations shall result in |
| revocation of up to ninety (90) days. |
| (k) Operation of any vehicle in excess of the requirements of any permit shall void that |
| permit and result in the imposition of fines as provided in this chapter. |
| SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage. |
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| LC001552/SUB A |
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