Washington Administrative Code › Title 468 - Transportation, Department of (See Title 88) › Chapter 468-38 - Vehicle size and weight-Highway restrictions-Equipment › Section 468-38-095 - Emergency road restrictions due to weather or other conditions

Current through Register Vol. 24-14, July 15, 2024
(1)
Who has the authority to implement
			 emergency procedures to restrict the movement of a vehicle(s) operating on
			 state highways?
RCW  47.48.031 and
			 46.44.080 provide authority for
			 the chief or another officer of the state patrol, or the secretary of
			 transportation or designee, to restrict vehicle movement by closing or
			 restricting movement on a section(s) of state highway(s) to all vehicles or
			 specific class of vehicles.
(2)
Under what conditions would a road restriction be put in place?
A
			 restriction or closure may be put in place whenever the department or the state
			 patrol believe that weather or other conditions have created a substantial risk
			 to public safety.
(3)
How are
			 the restrictions maintained?
The department and the state patrol shall
			 exchange notices of conditions that require a restriction(s) or closure to be
			 placed on the highway, and notices when conditions change that will allow the
			 restriction to be terminated. Either the department or the state patrol,
			 whichever agency can best respond to the condition, shall manually control
			 traffic as needed until the restriction is terminated or until the department
			 can install traffic control devices.
(4)
How will the notification of a
			 restriction be communicated to the highway users?
The department and the
			 state patrol have a joint responsibility to provide notice of both the
			 placement and removal of highway restrictions/closures. Notices shall be
			 provided to the news media, affected law enforcement agencies, and other
			 appropriate organizations, both public and private. For areas requiring
			 vehicles to apply tire chains, see subsection (8) of this section.
(5)
At what point does visibility play
			 a factor in the movement of a vehicle operating under special permit?
Moves must not be made when visibility is reduced to one thousand feet or less.
			 If visibility is reduced during transport, the vehicle or vehicle combination
			 must clear the highway at the nearest safe location.
(6)
Can an individual move under
			 special permit be restricted through enforcement intervention?
Yes. An
			 enforcement officer, at his/her discretion, may require the driver of the
			 permitted vehicle or vehicle combination to pull off of the highway when
			 weather or other conditions become unsafe for further movement. The enforcement
			 officer may direct or escort the permitted vehicle to a place of safety where
			 it may be parked until the unsafe conditions abate.
(7)
Do vehicles carrying hazardous or
			 radioactive cargo have greater opportunity of being affected by
			 restrictions?
Yes. Due to the potential risks to the public,
			 RCW
			  47.01.270 and
			 47.48.050 have provided the
			 department and the state patrol with the specific authority to close a
			 section(s) of the highway(s) to transporters of placarded radioactive or
			 hazardous cargo. The basis for closure is the same as stated in subsection (2)
			 of this section.
(8)
Who has
			 authority to prohibit permitted vehicles from chain/approved traction device
			 control areas, and how is this communicated?
The department and the
			 state patrol may prohibit a vehicle, whether moving under special permit for
			 oversize/overweight or not, from entering chain/approved traction device
			 control areas. Prohibitions are put in place when it is determined the vehicle
			 will experience difficulty in safely traveling the area. Traffic control signs
			 will generally communicate prohibitions (i.e., "TRACTION ADVISORY/OVERSIZED
			 VEHICLES PROHIBITED," "CHAINS REQUIRED ON ALL VEHICLES EXCEPT ALL WHEEL DRIVE,"
			 "VEHICLES OVER 10,000 GVWR CHAINS REQUIRED," etc.). In addition, specific
			 vehicle combinations may be required to operate with specified traction devices
			 (i.e., "TRACTORS PULLING DOUBLE TRAILERS MUST CHAIN UP"). Also, refer to WAC
			 204-24-050(2)(h) for a list of areas where sufficient tire
			 chains must be carried on the vehicle(s) between November 1 and April 1 of each
			 year.
(9)
What penalties are
			 in place for vehicles moving in prohibited areas?
Movement into a
			 restricted area when the vehicle is prohibited, or without the specified
			 traction device, is a violation of the special permit, which is a traffic
			 infraction, and subject to the penalties of
			 RCW
			  46.44.105.
(10)
What responsibilities must the
			 operator of a vehicle(s) operating under special permit, during winter road
			 conditions, assume when signs or other traffic control devices are not
			 present?
A vehicle, or vehicle combination, operating under special
			 permit for oversize, must stop movement at the nearest safe location during
			 periods when:
(a) Snow is falling to a degree
			 that visibility is limited to less than one thousand feet; or
(b) Immediately following a severe storm when
			 snow removal equipment is operating; or
(c) When fog or rain limits visibility to
			 less than one thousand feet; or
(d)
			 When compact snow and ice conditions require the use of chains.
Movement must not resume until conditions have abated and
				clearance obtained from the nearest department or state patrol office. Failure
				to stop is a violation of the permit and subject to the penalties of
				RCW
				 46.44.105.