2023 Minnesota Statutes

169.8261 FOREST PRODUCTS SPECIAL PERMIT.

Subdivision 1.Definition.

For purposes of this section, "raw or unfinished forest products" include wood chips, paper, pulp, oriented strand board, laminated strand lumber, hardboard, treated lumber, untreated lumber, or barrel staves.

Subd. 1a.Six-axle and over-width vehicle permit.

(a) A road authority may issue an annual permit authorizing a vehicle or combination of vehicles with a total of six or more axles to haul raw or unfinished forest products by the most direct route to the nearest paved highway on any highway with gross weights permitted under sections 169.823 to 169.829 and be operated with:

(1) a gross vehicle weight of up to:

(i) 90,000 pounds; and

(ii) 99,000 pounds during the period set by the commissioner under section 169.826, subdivision 1; and

(2) a total outside width of the vehicle or the load that does not exceed 114 inches.

(b) In addition to the conditions in subdivision 2, a vehicle or combination of vehicles that is operated with a permit under this subdivision and transporting a load that exceeds 108 inches must:

(1) display red or orange flags, 18 inches square, as markers at the front and rear and on both sides of the load; and

(2) not be operated on any road in a metropolitan county, as defined in section 473.121, subdivision 4.

(c) A vehicle or combination of vehicles with a permit under this subdivision may only be operated on an interstate highway:

(1) as provided under United States Code, title 23, section 127(q), for operation on the specified segment of marked Interstate Highway 35; or

(2) if the gross vehicle weight does not exceed 80,000 pounds.

Subd. 2.Conditions.

(a) A vehicle or combination of vehicles operated under this section must:

(1) comply with seasonal load restrictions in effect between the dates set by the commissioner under section 169.87, subdivision 2;

(2) comply with bridge load limits posted under section 169.84;

(3) be equipped and operated with six or more axles and brakes on all wheels;

(4) be operated under a permit issued by each road authority having jurisdiction over a road on which the vehicle is operated, if required by the road authority;

(5) obey all road and bridge postings, including those pertaining to lane or roadway width; and

(6) not exceed 20,000 pounds gross weight on any single axle.

(b) A vehicle operated under this section may exceed the legal axle weight limits listed in section 169.824 by not more than 12.5 percent; except that, the weight limits may be exceeded by not more than 23.75 percent during the time when seasonal increases are authorized under section 169.826, subdivision 1.

Subd. 3.Expiration date.

Upon request of the permit applicant, the expiration date for a permit issued under this section must be the same as the expiration date of the permitted vehicle's registration.

History:

2004 c 295 art 1 s 10; 1Sp2005 c 6 art 3 s 50; 2008 c 287 art 1 s 55; 2009 c 64 s 7; 2010 c 320 art 1 s 6; art 2 s 3; 2014 c 312 art 11 s 11; 1Sp2019 c 3 art 3 s 64; 2023 c 68 art 4 s 52