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Proposed Ordinance - Weight Limits on Streets

5/7/2026

The public's comments are welcomed on this draft ordinance, which will be presented at the May 21 Board meeting.  Currently, the weight limits for the city's streets is the same as the limits for state highways. This proposed ordinance is intended to protect the city streets from additional wear that they were not built to withstand.

DRAFT

SECTION 1. Definitions.  The meaning of the terms used in this Ordinance shall be as follows:

  1. Gross Weight: The weight of a Vehicle or a Vehicle Combination plus the weight of any load.
  2. Street: Every public street, road, or alley lying inside the City limits and which has not been designated as a state highway, including but not limited to: Carey Street, Gann Drive, High Street, Knorp Drive, Lacy Street, Lachner Road, Lohse Drive, that portion of Main Street between Route 87 and Route J, Mill Street, and Teel Street.
  3. Vehicle or Vehicle Combination: Any mechanical device operated on wheels or tracks, or a combination in which a vehicle tows a trailer, including but not limited to:
  4. Equipment: Any self-propelled machine designed for primarily off-road usage, including but not limited to, farm tractors and farm equipment, an apparatus used for the application of commercial plant food materials or agricultural chemicals, road construction or maintenance machinery, and earth moving equipment.
  5. Trailer: Any attachment without motive power designed for carrying property or passengers on or in its structure and for being drawn by a self-propelled vehicle.
  6. Truck: Any self-propelled machine designed for or used in the transportation of property, including but not limited to dump trucks, haulers, concrete trucks, truck tractors.

 SECTION 2. Weight Limit Established. The maximum Weight Limit for each Vehicle or Vehicle Combination on all Streets shall be Twenty-Six Thousand (26,000) pounds Gross Weight. 

 SECTION 3. Overweight Vehicles or Vehicle Combinations Prohibited.  No Vehicle or Vehicle Combination exceeding the weight limit shall be moved or operated upon any Streets except as provided in Section 4.

 SECTION 4. Exemptions. The following types and usages of a Vehicle or Vehicle Combination are exempt from the weight limits established in this Ordinance:

  1. Vehicles or Vehicle Combinations delivering or receiving goods, material, equipment, or providing services on the specific street traveled.
  2. Emergency Vehicles or Vehicle Combinations in the exercise of their duties.

 SECTION 5. Liability for Damage.  Any person operating any Vehicle or Vehicle Combination weighing in excess of the weight limit upon any Street shall be liable for all damage to the Street as a result.  Whenever such driver is not the owner of such Vehicle but is so operating the Vehicle or Vehicle Combination with the express or implied permission of the owner, then the owner and driver shall be jointly and severally liable for any such damage. Such damage may be recovered in a civil action brought by the City.

 SECTION 6. Penalties.  Violation of this Ordinance shall carry a penalty of not less than fifty dollars ($50.00) nor more than five hundred dollars ($500.00) or be punishable by imprisonment for a period of not less than one (1) day and not more than six (6) months, or be punishable by both such fine and imprisonment.

 SECTION 7. Effect. This Ordinance shall be in full force and effect from and after its date of passage.