321.474 Department may restrict.

1. The department shall have authority, as granted to local authorities, to determine by resolution and to impose restrictions as to the weight of vehicles, except implements of husbandry as defined in section 321.1, implements of husbandry loaded on hauling units for transporting the implements to locations for repair, and fire apparatus and road maintenance equipment owned by, under lease to, or used in the performance of a contract with a state or local authority, operated upon any highway under the jurisdiction of the department for a definite period of time not to exceed twelve months. The restrictions shall be effective when signs giving notice of the restrictions and the expiration date of the restrictions are erected upon the affected highway or portion of highway.

2. Upon a finding that a bridge or culvert does not meet established standards set forth by state and federal authorities, the department may impose, by resolution, restrictions for an indefinite period of time on the weight of vehicles operated upon bridges or culverts located on highways under its jurisdiction. The restrictions shall be effective when signs giving notice of the restrictions are erected. The restrictions shall not apply to implements of husbandry loaded on hauling units for transporting the implements to locations for purposes of repair or to fire apparatus or road maintenance equipment owned by, under lease to, or used in the performance of a contract with a state or local authority.

3. For the purposes of restrictions imposed under this section, a triple axle is any group of three or more consecutive axles where the centers of any consecutive axles are more than forty inches apart and where the centers of the extreme axles are more than eighty-four inches apart but not more than one hundred sixty-eight inches apart. Where triple axle restrictions are imposed, the signs erected by the department shall give notice of the restrictions.

4. Any person who violates a restriction imposed by resolution pursuant to this section, upon conviction or a plea of guilty, is subject to a fine determined by dividing the difference between the actual weight of the vehicle and the maximum weight allowed by the restriction by one hundred and multiplying the quotient by two dollars.

5. The department may issue special permits, during periods the restrictions are in effect, to permit limited operation of vehicles upon specified routes with loads in excess of any restrictions imposed under this section, but not in excess of load restrictions imposed by this chapter. The department shall issue a special permit for not to exceed eight weeks upon a showing of agricultural hardship. The department shall issue special permits to trucks moving farm produce, which decays or loses its value if not speedily put to its intended use, to market upon a showing to the department that there is a requirement for trucking the produce, or to trucks moving any farm feeds or fuel necessary for home heating purposes. The operator of a vehicle which is the subject of a permit issued under this subsection shall carry the permit while operating the vehicle and shall show the permit to any peace officer upon request.

[C24, 27, 31, 35, §5066; C39, §5035.23; C46, 50, 54, 58, 62, 66, 71, 73, 75, 77, 79, 81, §321.474; 81 Acts, ch 110, §3]

99 Acts, ch 108, §9, 10; 99 Acts, ch 208, §54, 55; 2010 Acts, ch 1061, §119

Referred to in §321.453, 321.463, 321E.17