603 Ky. Admin. Regs. 5:070

Current through Register Vol. 51, No. 6, December 1, 2024

Section 603 KAR 5:070 - Motor vehicle dimension limits

RELATES TO: KRS 186.655, 189.222, 23 C.F.R. Part 658, 23 U.S.C., 49 U.S.C. 31111, Pub. L. 114-94

NECESSITY, FUNCTION, AND CONFORMITY: KRS 189.222(11) authorizes the Transportation Cabinet to promulgate administrative regulations implementing the provisions of 23 C.F.R. Part 658 relating to the length, width, and weight limitations of motor vehicles travelling on the Commonwealth's state primary road system. This administrative regulation establishes the dimensions and the dimension combinations for motor vehicles travelling on all classes of highways in Kentucky. This administrative regulation also establishes the regulatory provisions relating to The Fixing America's Surface Transportation Act, or the FAST Act, Pub. L. 114-94.

Section 1. Definitions.

(1) "Enforcement tolerance" means an amount, usually expressed as a percentage of the total length, width, or weight measurement allowed in excess of the maximum to account for the differences in measuring equipment or techniques.

(2) "Length exclusion safety device" means an appurtenance:

(a) That is located at the front or rear of a motor vehicle semitrailer or trailer;

(b) With a function related to the safe and efficient operation of a motor vehicle semitrailer or trailer; and

(c) That is not designated, designed, or used for carrying cargo.

(3)"National Truck Network" means a network of highways on which motor vehicles with increased dimensions could operate pursuant to the Surface Transportation Assistance Act of 1982, 23 U.S.C.

(4) "Stinger-steered" means an automobile or boat transporter configured as a semitrailer combination in which the fifth wheel is located on a drop frame behind and below the rear-most axle of the power unit.

(5) "Towaway trailer transporter combination" means the combination of a trailer transporter towing unit and two (2) trailers or semitrailers, with a total weight that does not exceed 26,000 pounds and does not carry the property or constitute the inventory property of the manufacturer, distributor, or dealer of the trailers or semitrailers.

(6) "Trailer transporter towing unit" means a power unit that is not used to carry property if operating in a towaway trailer transporter combination.

(7) "Width exclusion safety device" means an addition or appurtenance located at the side of a motor vehicle, semitrailer, or trailer with a function related to the safe and efficient operation of the vehicle and not designated, designed, or used for carrying cargo.

Section 2. Width Exclusion Safety Devices.

(1) Items designated as width exclusion safety devices shall include:

(a) Rearview mirrors;

(b) Turn signal lamps;

(c) Hand holds for cab entry or egress;

(d) Splash and spray suppressant devices; and

(e) Load-induced tire bulges.

(2) The following items shall be designated as width exclusion safety devices if they do not extend beyond three (3) inches (0.0762 meter) on either side of the vehicle:

(a) Corner caps;

(b) Rear or side door hinges and their protective hardware;

(c) Rain gutters;

(d) Side marker lamps;

(e) Lift pads for a piggyback trailer;

(f) Hazardous materials placards;

(g) Tarp and tarp hardware;

(h) A tie-down assembly on a platform trailer;

(i) Wall variation from true flat; and

(j) Weevil pins or sockets on a low bed trailer.

Section 3. Dimensions of Vehicles.

(1) The maximum dimensions for a motor vehicle or combination motor vehicle shall be:

(a) A height, including body and load, not to exceed thirteen (13) feet and six (6) inches (4.115 meters);

(b) A width, including body and load, not to exceed eight (8) feet (2.44 meters), excluding a width exclusion safety device;

(c) Except as established in subsection (2) of this section, a length not exceeding forty-five (45) feet (13.716 meters) of a single unit motor vehicle, including a part of the body or load, but excluding a length exclusion safety device; and

(d) Except as established in subsection (2) of this section, a length not exceeding sixty-five (65) feet (19.812 meters) of a motor vehicle and trailer or semitrailer combination, including a part of the body or load, and excluding a length exclusion safety device.

(2) The exceptions established in paragraphs (a) through (d) of this subsection shall be made to the lengths established in (1)(c) and (d) of this section.

(a) A truck trailer or semitrailer unit that is configured as a motor vehicle or boat transporter shall not have a load overhang of more than three (3) feet (0.915 meters) on the front and four (4) feet (1.22 meters) on the rear, if hauling only motor vehicles or boats. The overhangs shall not be included in the sixty-five (65) feet (19.812 meters) length limit established in (1)(d) of this section.

(b) A truck tractor or semitrailer unit that is configured as a stinger-steered motor vehicle or boat transporter shall not have a load overhang of more than four (4) feet (1.22 meters) on the front and six (6) feet (1.83 meters) on the rear, if hauling only motor vehicles or boats. The overhangs shall not be included in the measurement of the eighty (80) feet (24.384 meters) overall length limit.

(c) A single unit motor vehicle transporting utility poles or pipes shall not exceed forty-five (45) feet (13.716 meters).

(d) A towaway trailer transporter combination shall not exceed eighty-two (82) feet (24.994 meters).

Section 4. Exceptions to Permit Requirement.

(1) With the exception of buses, a motor vehicle or a combination motor vehicle with dimensions greater than those established in Section 3 of this administrative regulation may be operated without an overweight or overdimensional permit on the following highways:

(a) The National Truck Network;

(b) The fifteen (15) mile (24.14 kilometers) access established in KRS 189.222(1)(f);

(c) The five (5) mile (8.05 kilometers) access established in Section 5(2) of this administrative regulation; and

(d) The one (1) mile (1.61 kilometers) access established in Section 5(3) of this administrative regulation.

(2) If operating on the National Truck Network, a motor vehicle, combination motor vehicle, or towed unit, including a part of the body and load and excluding a length or width exclusion safety device, shall require an overdimensional permit if the width and length dimensions exceed:

(a) A width of 102 inches (2.59 meters);

(b) A towed unit length of fifty-three (53) feet (16.154 meters) if operated in a single semitrailer combination; or

(c) Twenty-eight (28) feet (8.53 meters) if operated in a tractor-semitrailer-trailer combination or a tractor-semitrailer-semitrailer combination not exceeding two (2) towed units per combination.

(3) In a tractor-semitrailer combination vehicle if the two (2) trailing units are connected with a rigid frame extension attached to the rear frame of the first semitrailer allowing for a fifth wheel connection point for the second semitrailer, the length of the extension shall be excluded from the measurement of semitrailer length.

(4) If a second semitrailer is not mounted to the fifth wheel of the rear frame of a semitrailer, the length of the extension shall be included in the length measurement of the semitrailer.

(5) The gross vehicle weight limit for a motor vehicle with the dimensions established in this subsection, and operating on a highway included in the National Truck Network, shall be 80,000 pounds (36,287.36 kilograms).

(6) The dimensions and weights established in this section shall not be subject to an enforcement tolerance.

Section 5. Increased Dimensions.

(1) Motor vehicles with increased dimensions that do not exceed the limitations established in Section 4 of this administrative regulation may travel the highways included in the National Truck Network.

(2) A motor vehicle with an increased dimension pursuant to Section 4 of this administrative regulation may travel up to five (5) driving miles (8.05 kilometers) on a state-maintained highway from a highway segment established as part of the National Truck Network, and up to fifteen (15) miles (24.14 kilometers) from an interstate or parkway exit, to attain reasonable access to a terminal or facility for food, fuel, repairs, or rest.

(3) A motor vehicle with an increased dimension pursuant to Section 4 of this administrative regulation may travel up to one (1) driving mile (1.61 kilometers) on a nonstate maintained, public-owned and public use highway from a National Truck Network highway to attain reasonable access to a terminal or facility for food, fuel, repair, or rest.

Section 6.

(1) Household Goods Transporters. A motor vehicle with an increased dimension as established in Section 4 of this administrative regulation that is certified by either the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration or the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet to transport household goods shall have access to any public roadway in the Commonwealth of Kentucky.

(2) Single unit semitrailers. A truck tractor and single semitrailer that do not exceed twenty-eight (28) feet excluding a length exclusion safety device shall have access to any public roadway in the Commonwealth of Kentucky.

Section 7. Nonstate Maintained Exceptions.

(1) The city of Anchorage in Jefferson County, Kentucky has adopted ordinances that exempt due to safety reasons certain locally maintained roadways from the automatic one (1) mile (1.61 kilometers) access provision of Section 5(3) of this administrative regulation.

(2) The following streets located within the corporate city limits of Anchorage and listed in the city ordinance shall not be used by a motor vehicle with an increased dimension as established in Section 4 of this administrative regulation:

(a) Evergreen Road;

(b) Bellewood Road;

(c) Lucas Lane; and

(d) Old Harrods Creek Road.

Section 8. State Maintained Exceptions.

(1) Based on safety concerns to the travelling public, specific road segments shall be exempt from the five (5) mile (8.05 kilometers) and fifteen (15) mile (24.14 kilometers) automatic access on a state maintained highway.

(2) The following road segments shall not be used by a vehicle with increased dimensions pursuant to Section 4 of this administrative regulation:

(a) Kentucky Highway 146 from the west boundary of the city of Anchorage in Jefferson County, beginning at the junction with Old Harrods Creek Road at milepoint 4.198 to the east boundary of the city of Anchorage at milepoint 5.784;

(b) Kentucky Highway 418 from milepoint 2.864 at the intersection with the Blue Sky Parkway, just southeast of the I-75 interchange in Fayette County, to milepoint 6.089 at the Fayette and Clark County line;

(c) Kentucky Highway 1973 in Fayette County from milepoint 0.000 at the intersection with U.S. 25 to milepoint 1.866 at its intersection with Kentucky 418; and

(d) U.S. 119 from its junction with Kentucky Highway 932 (Mile point 8.837) northeast of Oven Fork, to Kentucky Highway 15 (Milepoint 15.772) in Whitesburg, Letcher County, Kentucky.

(3) The list of state maintained and non state maintained exempted road segments established in subsection (2) of this section may be located on the cabinet's Web site at https://transportation.ky.gov/planning/pages/national-truck-network.aspx. or at the Transportation Cabinet, Division of Planning, 200 Mero Street, Frankfort, Kentucky 40622.

603 KAR 5:070

1 Ky.R. 817; eff. 5-14-1975; 2 Ky.R. 193; eff. 12-10-1975; 8 Ky.R. 12; eff. 8-5-1981; 782; eff. 3-1-1982; 10 Ky.R. 828; eff. 1-4-1984; 12 Ky.R. 231; eff. 9-10-1985; 14 Ky.R. 2202; eff. 8-5-1988; 15 Ky.R. 549; 963; eff. 10-4-1988; 2119; eff. 5-2-1989; 16 Ky.R. 863; 1376; eff. 2-3-1990; 17 Ky.R. 1834; eff. 2-7-1991; 18 Ky.R. 460; 1008; 1335; eff. 10-1-1991; 2372; eff. 3-7-1992; 19 Ky.R. 231; 891; eff. 10-8-1992; 2309; 2644; eff. 5-26-1993; 22 Ky.R. 620; 1077; eff. 11-1-1995; 24 Ky.R. 1390; 1671; eff. 1-22-1998; 28 Ky.R. 929; 1387; eff. 12-19-2001; 30 Ky.R. 1362; 2153; eff. 4-12-2004; 45 Ky.R. 1405, 2089; eff. 2-1-2019; Crt eff. 3-18-2019.

STATUTORY AUTHORITY: KRS 189.222, 23 C.F.R. Part 658