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S 2411Roads & Highways

Motor and Other Vehicles - Size, Weight, and Load Limits

This bill creates annual travel permits for moving cranes, boats, and marine assets on state roads for a flat fee.

Held for study
Population
Affected
8
Email Legislator
Introduced Jan 30, 2026Committee Senate Special Legislation and Veterans Affairs

Plain-English Summary

This legislation amends Rhode Island's traffic laws regarding size and weight limits for vehicles. It expands the eligibility for an annual "blanket permit" (costing $400) to include boats and marine assets, allowing them to bypass single-trip permit fees for non-divisible loads. Furthermore, the bill creates a specific annual blanket permit for self-propelled cranes for a $400 fee. This crane permit allows operators to drive cranes on state roads 24 hours a day, seven days a week without a police escort, provided they adhere to bridge weight limits and check for travel restrictions.

For younger readers

There are special rules for driving very big or heavy vehicles on the roads, like construction machines. Right now, people often have to pay a fee every time they want to move them. This new rule says that owners of big cranes or people moving boats can pay one price for a special pass that lasts a whole year. This lets them drive these big machines on the road anytime they want, day or night, without asking for permission for every single trip. They still have to be careful not to cross bridges that are too weak.

Who & Where It Applies

Impacted groups
Crane operatorsBoat haulersMarine industryConstruction companiesMotorists
Impacted communities
All

Constitutional & Fiscal Check

None Likely

Estimated cost
None
Estimated revenue
Crane Operators: $400/yr, Boat Haulers: $400/yr

Bill Analysis

Both viewpoints
For Progressives
  • Streamlines regulations for the marine and construction industries, potentially supporting blue-collar jobs and the local economy by reducing administrative hurdles for workers.
  • Allows for more efficient infrastructure development and maintenance by permitting cranes to move freely 24/7, potentially speeding up public work projects.
  • Reduces bureaucratic red tape within the Department of Transportation, allowing state resources to be focused on more critical safety and infrastructure needs rather than processing single-trip paperwork.
  • Allows heavy cranes to operate 24 hours a day without an escort, which could pose safety risks to other drivers and pedestrians, particularly in residential areas or during off-hours.
  • Reduces state revenue by replacing per-trip fees with a flat annual fee for large corporations moving boats and cranes, potentially shifting the tax burden to ordinary citizens.
  • Facilitates the movement of massive, heavy equipment which contributes to the wear and tear of public roads, effectively subsidizing private industry costs at the expense of public infrastructure maintenance.
For Conservatives
  • Reduces government red tape and bureaucratic interference by allowing business owners to purchase a single annual permit instead of applying for permission for every trip.
  • Supports economic growth and the marine industry by lowering operational costs and removing time-of-day restrictions for moving boats and cranes.
  • Promotes operational freedom by allowing self-propelled cranes to move 24 hours a day, seven days a week, without the government mandating costly police escorts.
  • Potentially compromises road safety by allowing massive cranes to navigate highways at night without police escorts, increasing the risk of accidents that taxpayers might have to clean up.
  • Delegates too much trust to operators to "abide by posted bridge limits" without active oversight during transport, potentially leading to infrastructure damage caused by negligence.
  • While it cuts red tape, the flat fee might not cover the actual cost of wear and tear on the roads caused by these heavy vehicles, indirectly subsidizing specific industries.

Votes

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Full Bill Text

Changes to existing Rhode Island law · 16 additions

SECTION 1. Section 31-25-21 of the General Laws in Chapter 31-25 entitled "Size, Weight, and Load Limits" is hereby amended to read as follows: 31-25-21. Power to permit excess size or weight of loads.

(a) The department of transportation, with respect to highways under its jurisdiction, may, in its discretion, upon application in writing and good cause being shown for it, approve the issuance of a special permit in writing authorizing the applicant to operate or move a vehicle, or combination of vehicles, of a size or weight of vehicle or load exceeding eighty thousand pounds (80,000 lbs.) or otherwise not in conformity with the provisions of chapters 1 — 27 of this title upon any highway under the jurisdiction of the party granting the permit and for the maintenance of which the party is responsible. Permits that have been issued for a full year shall not be required to be renewed for the period of time for which payment has been made and the application and other required documentation has been completed and filed. Provided, that neither the department of transportation nor the local authorities may approve the issuance of permits for divisible loads weighing in excess of the limits set by the director of the department of transportation by and through the rules and regulations promulgated by the department of transportation entitled “rules and regulations regarding overweight and oversize vehicle permits”.

(1) Provided, however, that for milk products, any vehicle carrying fluid milk products shall be considered a load that cannot be easily dismantled or divided.

(b) The director of the department of transportation may enter into agreements with other states, the District of Columbia, and Canadian provinces providing for the reciprocal enforcement of the overweight or over-dimensional vehicle permit laws of those jurisdictions entering into the agreement.

(c) Single trip non-divisible permit fee. A fee of forty dollars ($40.00) shall be paid to the department of transportation for the issuance of each non-divisible single trip permit. Upon approval of the application, the department of transportation shall provide the approved permit. The driver must possess the permit and documentation as required by the permit at all times.

(d) Annual blanket permit fee. An annual fee of four hundred dollars ($400) paid to the department of transportation shall exempt the payor from the necessity of paying single trip permit fees for non-divisible construction equipment loads, boats, or marine assets of less than one hundred thirty thousand pounds (130,000 lbs.) as found in subsection (c). However, payment of the fee shall not be deemed to authorize noncompliance with the rules and regulations promulgated by the department of transportation entitled “rules and regulations regarding overweight and oversize vehicle permits”.

(e) Blanket permits may be issued, as determined by the department of transportation, for intrastate movement of non-divisible construction equipment loads, boats, or marine assets upon payment of the fee set forth in subsection (d). If used in conjunction with an annual divisible load permit, the limits and requirements of the blanket permit shall supersede the requirements of the divisible load permit. The driver must possess both permits and all required documentation. The duration of the blanket permit may not exceed one year. The blanket permit load shall be limited to a minimum overall length of fifty-five feet (55′), a maximum overall length of eighty feet (80′), a maximum width of twelve feet four inches (12′ 4″), a maximum gross weight of one hundred thirty thousand pounds (130,000 lbs.), and a maximum axle weight of twenty-five thousand pounds (25,000 lbs.); provided, that the department of transportation, with respect to highways under its jurisdiction, may, in its discretion and upon application and for good cause shown, approve the issuance of a single trip non-divisible permit authorizing the applicant to exceed one hundred thirty thousand pounds (130,000 lbs.) for non-divisible loads. A flashing amber light shall be in operation above the highest point of the vehicle and shall be visible from both the front and rear of the vehicle; and signs and red warning flags shall be affixed to all extremities. All blanket permits issued in accordance with this section shall be effective during daylight and night-time hours for all over- dimensional moves made and travel shall be allowed on state highways. The specifically described vehicle must be certified originally by the manufacturer to possess the braking and carrying capacity for the weight specified on the application.

(f) Permission to travel is always subject to weather and road conditions. The following restrictions on travel times shall apply to all vehicles over eight feet six inches (8′ 6″) wide, over eighty feet (80′) long, or over one hundred thirty thousand pounds (130,000 lbs.):

(1) Freeways and arterial roadways. No travel will be allowed between the hours of 7:00 a.m. and 9:00 a.m. or between 3:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m., Monday through Friday.

(2) [Deleted by P.L. 2022, ch. 178, § 1 and P.L. 2022, ch. 179, § 1.]

(3) Holidays. Memorial Day, Victory Day, Labor Day, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day, and Columbus Day — No Saturday, Sunday, or Monday day or night travel. Thanksgiving Day — No travel on Wednesday through Sunday of Thanksgiving week in any calendar year. Independence Day, Veterans Day, Christmas Day, New Year’s Day — No day or night travel and no travel the previous night. Easter Sunday. No Saturday night or Sunday travel.

(4) Violations of this section are subject to fines enumerated in § 31-25-24.

(g) Blanket permits shall not be granted for travel over the following bridges: Blackstone River Viaduct 750 carrying I-295 northbound and southbound over the Blackstone River; Kingston Road Bridge No. 403 carrying I-95 northbound and southbound over Kingston Road.

(h) Travel of blanket permits through zones with reductions in lane width such as construction zones will not be allowed. Prior to travel, blanket permit holders are responsible to verify the location of construction zones and lane width reductions. Locations of lane width reduction zones are available through the state department of transportation’s construction office.

(i) Upon approval of the annual blanket permit application, the department of transportation shall provide the approved permit. The driver must possess the permit and documentation as required by the permit at all times.

(j) Any carrier or persons found to be operating without a required permit, or in excess of their permit limits, three (3) times within a one-year period shall be revoked of their ability to use and receive permits within the state for up to thirty (30) days. Additional violations shall result in revocation of up to ninety (90) days.

(k) Operation of any vehicle in excess of the requirements of any permit shall void that permit and result in the imposition of fines as provided in this chapter. (l)(1) Annual self-propelled crane blanket permit and fee. An annual self-propelled crane blanket permit allows movement of cranes, without restricting movement other than requiring cranes to abide by posted bridge limits. This permit shall be obtained only by operators of self- propelled cranes. Separate permits are required for each crane and are not transferable. A fee of four hundred dollars ($400) paid to the department of transportation shall exempt the payor from the necessity of obtaining and paying single trip permit fees.

(2) The following provisions shall apply:

(i) Permits shall have duration of one year from the effective date.

(ii) Self-propelled cranes with an annual blanket permit may move twenty-four (24) hours a day, Monday through Sunday without escort.

(iii) The annual blanket permit holder is required and responsible for obtaining current travel restrictions prior to movement with blanket permits.

(iv) Payment of the annual fee shall not be deemed to authorize noncompliance with the rules and regulations promulgated by the department of transportation entitled "rules and regulations regarding overweight and oversized vehicle permits" (290-RICR-40-00-1).

SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.