Maximum gross weights—Wheelbase and axle factors.

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No vehicle or combination of vehicles shall operate upon the public highways of this state with a gross load on any single axle in excess of twenty thousand pounds, or upon any group of axles in excess of that set forth in the following table, except that two consecutive sets of tandem axles may carry a gross load of thirty-four thousand pounds each, if the overall distance between the first and last axles of such consecutive sets of tandem axles is thirty-six feet or more.

The following table is based on the following formula: W = 500((LN/N-1)+12N+36). W is the maximum weight in pounds (to the nearest 500 pounds) carried on any group of two (2) or more consecutive axles. L is the distance in feet between the extremes of any group of two (2) or more consecutive axles. N is the number of axles under consideration.

Distance in feet between the extremes of any group of 2 or more consecutive axles

 

Maximum load in pounds carried on any group of 2 or more consecutive axles

 

2

3

4

5

 

6

 

7

 

8

 

9

axles

axles

axles

axles

 

axles

 

axles

 

axles

 

axles

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

4

34,000

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

5

34,000

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

6

34,000

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

7

34,000

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

8 & less

34,000

34,000

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

more than 8

38,000

42,000

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

9

39,000

42,500

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

10

40,000

43,500

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

11

 

44,000

49,000

 

 

 

 

 

 

12

 

45,000

50,000

 

 

 

 

 

 

13

 

45,500

50,500

 

 

 

 

 

 

14

 

46,500

51,500

56,500

 

 

 

 

 

15

 

47,000

52,000

57,000

 

 

 

 

 

16

 

48,000

52,500

58,000

 

 

 

 

 

17

 

48,500

53,500

58,500

 

 

 

 

 

18

 

49,500

54,000

59,000

64,500

 

 

 

 

19

 

50,000

54,500

60,000

65,000

 

 

 

 

20

 

51,000

55,500

60,500

66,000

 

 

 

 

21

 

51,500

56,000

61,000

66,500

72,000

 

 

 

22

 

52,500

56,500

61,500

67,000

72,500

 

 

 

23

 

53,000

57,500

62,500

68,000

73,000

 

 

 

24

 

54,000

58,000

63,000

68,500

74,000

 

 

 

25

 

54,500

58,500

63,500

69,000

74,500

80,000

 

 

26

 

55,500

59,500

64,000

69,500

75,000

80,500

 

 

27

 

56,000

60,000

65,000

70,000

75,500

81,000

 

 

28

 

57,000

60,500

65,500

71,000

76,500

82,000

87,500

 

29

 

57,500

61,500

66,000

71,500

77,000

82,500

88,000

 

30

 

58,500

62,000

66,500

72,000

77,500

83,000

88,500

 

31

 

59,000

62,500

67,500

72,500

78,000

83,500

89,000

 

32

 

60,000

63,500

68,000

73,000

78,500

84,500

90,000

 

33

 

 

64,000

68,500

74,000

79,000

85,000

90,500

 

34

 

 

64,500

69,000

74,500

80,000

85,500

91,000

 

35

 

 

65,500

70,000

75,000

80,500

86,000

91,500

 

36

 

 

66,000

70,500

75,500

81,000

86,500

92,000

 

37

 

 

66,500

71,000

76,000

81,500

87,000

93,000

 

38

 

 

67,500

71,500

77,000

82,000

87,500

93,500

 

39

 

 

68,000

72,500

77,500

82,500

88,500

94,000

 

40

 

 

68,500

73,000

78,000

83,500

89,000

94,500

 

41

 

 

69,500

73,500

78,500

84,000

89,500

95,000

 

42

 

 

70,000

74,000

79,000

84,500

90,000

95,500

 

43

 

 

70,500

75,000

80,000

85,000

90,500

96,000

 

44

 

 

71,500

75,500

80,500

85,500

91,000

96,500

 

45

 

 

72,000

76,000

81,000

86,000

91,500

97,500

 

46

 

 

72,500

76,500

81,500

87,000

92,500

98,000

 

47

 

 

73,500

77,500

82,000

87,500

93,000

98,500

 

48

 

 

74,000

78,000

83,000

88,000

93,500

99,000

 

49

 

 

74,500

78,500

83,500

88,500

94,000

99,500

 

50

 

 

75,500

79,000

84,000

89,000

94,500

100,000

 

51

 

 

76,000

80,000

84,500

89,500

95,000

100,500

 

52

 

 

76,500

80,500

85,000

90,500

95,500

101,000

 

53

 

 

77,500

81,000

86,000

91,000

96,500

102,000

 

54

 

 

78,000

81,500

86,500

91,500

97,000

102,500

 

55

 

 

78,500

82,500

87,000

92,000

97,500

103,000

 

56

 

 

79,500

83,000

87,500

92,500

98,000

103,500

 

57

 

 

80,000

83,500

88,000

93,000

98,500

104,000

 

58

 

 

 

84,000

89,000

94,000

99,000

104,500

 

59

 

 

 

85,000

89,500

94,500

99,500

105,500

 

60

 

 

 

85,500

90,000

95,000

100,500

105,500

 

61

 

 

 

86,000

90,500

95,500

101,000

105,500

 

62

 

 

 

86,500

91,000

96,000

101,500

105,500

 

63

 

 

 

87,500

92,000

96,500

102,000

105,500

 

64

 

 

 

88,000

92,500

97,500

102,500

105,500

 

65

 

 

 

88,500

93,000

98,000

103,000

105,500

 

66

 

 

 

89,000

93,500

98,500

103,500

105,500

 

67

 

 

 

90,000

94,000

99,000

104,500

105,500

 

68

 

 

 

90,500

95,000

99,500

105,000

105,500

 

69

 

 

 

91,000

95,500

100,000

105,500

105,500

 

70

 

 

 

91,500

96,000

101,000

105,500

105,500

 

71

 

 

 

92,500

96,500

101,500

105,500

105,500

 

72

 

 

 

93,000

97,000

102,000

105,500

105,500

 

73

 

 

 

93,500

98,000

102,500

105,500

105,500

 

74

 

 

 

94,000

98,500

103,000

105,500

105,500

 

75

 

 

 

95,000

99,000

103,500

105,500

105,500

 

76

 

 

 

95,500

99,500

104,500

105,500

105,500

 

77

 

 

 

96,000

100,000

105,000

105,500

105,500

 

78

 

 

 

96,500

101,000

105,500

105,500

105,500

 

79

 

 

 

97,500

101,500

105,500

105,500

105,500

 

80

 

 

 

98,000

102,000

105,500

105,500

105,500

 

81

 

 

 

98,500

102,500

105,500

105,500

105,500

 

82

 

 

 

99,000

103,000

105,500

105,500

105,500

 

83

 

 

 

100,000

104,000

105,500

105,500

105,500

 

84

 

 

 

 

104,500

105,500

105,500

105,500

 

85

 

 

 

 

105,000

105,500

105,500

105,500

 

86 or more

 

 

 

 

105,500

105,500

105,500

105,500

When inches are involved: Under six inches take lower, six inches or over take higher. The maximum load on any axle in any group of axles shall not exceed the single axle or tandem axle allowance as set forth in the table above.

The maximum axle and gross weights specified in this section are subject to the braking requirements set up for the service brakes upon any motor vehicle or combination of vehicles as provided by law.

Loads of not more than eighty thousand pounds which may be legally hauled in the state bordering this state which also has a sales tax, are legal in this state when moving to a port district within four miles of the bordering state except on the interstate system. This provision does not allow the operation of a vehicle combination consisting of a truck tractor and three trailers.

Notwithstanding anything contained herein, a vehicle or combination of vehicles in operation on January 4, 1975, may operate upon the public highways of this state, including the interstate system within the meaning of section 127 of Title 23, United States Code, with an overall gross weight upon a group of two consecutive sets of dual axles which was lawful in this state under the laws, regulations, and procedures in effect in this state on January 4, 1975.

[ 2016 c 24 § 1; 1997 c 198 § 1; 1995 c 171 § 1. Prior: 1993 c 246 § 1; 1993 c 102 § 3; prior: 1988 c 229 § 1; 1988 c 6 § 2; 1985 c 351 § 3; 1977 c 81 § 2; 1975-'76 2nd ex.s. c 64 § 22.]

NOTES:

Effective date of 1993 c 102 and c 123—1993 sp.s. c 23: See note following RCW 46.16A.455.

Effective dates—Severability—1975-'76 2nd ex.s. c 64: See notes following RCW 46.16A.455.


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