Legislation
SECTION 1650
Traffic regulations on county roads
Vehicle & Traffic (VAT) CHAPTER 71, TITLE 8, ARTICLE 40
§ 1650. Traffic regulations on county roads. (a) The county
superintendent of highways of a county with respect to county roads in
such county, may by order, rule or regulation:
1. Upon a roadway which is divided into three lanes, allocate the
center lane exclusively for traffic moving in a specified direction.
2. Order signs erected directing slow-moving traffic, trucks, buses or
specified types of vehicles to use a designated lane, or with signs,
signals or markings designate those lanes to be used by traffic moving
in a particular direction regardless of the center of the roadway.
3. Determine those highways or portions of highways which shall be
marked to indicate where overtaking and passing or driving to the left
of or crossing such markings would be especially hazardous in accordance
with the standards, minimum warrants and sign or marking specifications
established by the department of transportation.
4. Temporarily exclude from any portion of any county road any vehicle
with a gross weight of over four or more tons or any vehicle with a
gross weight in excess of any designated weight on any wheel, axle, any
number of axles, or per inch width of tire when in his opinion such
highway would be materially injured by the operation of any such vehicle
thereon. Such exclusion shall take effect upon the erection of signs on
the section of highway from which such vehicles are excluded, and a
notice that such vehicles are excluded shall be published in a newspaper
in the county where the highway is situated. The exclusion shall remain
in effect until the removal of the signs as directed by the county
superintendent of highways. Upon written application by any operator of
a vehicle subject to this section, the county superintendent of highways
may issue a permit providing appropriate exemption to such vehicle, if
it is deemed that said vehicle is performing essential local pickup or
delivery service and that a failure to grant such permit would create
hardship. Every such permit may designate the route to be traversed and
contain other reasonable restrictions or conditions deemed necessary.
Every such permit shall be carried on the vehicle to which it refers and
shall be open to inspection of any peace officer, acting pursuant to his
special duties, or police officer. Such permits shall be for the
duration of the restriction imposed under this section.
4-a. Exclude trucks, commercial vehicles, tractors, tractor-trailer
combinations, or tractor-trailer-semitrailer combinations in excess of
any designated weight, designated length, designated height, or eight
feet in width, from county highways, except for qualifying or access
highways or set limits on hours of operation of such vehicles. Such
exclusion shall not be construed to prevent the delivery or pickup of
merchandise or other property along the highways from which such
vehicles or combinations are otherwise excluded.
5. Designate a portion of a slope as a path for the use of bicycles.
6. Order signs or markings to identify the portion of the highway to
be used for bicycle travel.
* 7. Designate preferential use lanes for specified types or classes
of vehicles.
* NB There are two par 7's
* 7. Declare a snow emergency and designate any highway or portion
thereof as a snow emergency route.
* NB There are two par 7's
(b) Each such county superintendent of highways shall cause to be
determined, for all bridges and elevated structures under his
jurisdiction, the capacity in tons of two thousand pounds which the
bridge or structure will safely carry. At bridges or structures of
insufficient strength to carry safely the legal loads permissible by
section three hundred eighty-five of this chapter, the county
superintendent of highways shall cause signs to be erected to inform
persons of the safe capacity.
(c) Each such county superintendent of highways shall cause signs to
be erected to inform persons of the legal overhead clearance for all
bridges, and elevated structures on highways under his jurisdiction.
The legal clearance shall be one foot less than the measured clearance.
The measured clearance shall be the minimum height to the bridge or
structure measured vertically from the traveled portion of the roadway.
On bridges or structures having fourteen feet or more of measured
clearance, no such signs shall be required.
d. The legislative body of any county with respect to county roads in
such county, may by local law, ordinance, order, rule or regulation,
provide for the removal and storage of vehicles parked or abandoned on
highways during snowstorms, floods, fire or other public emergencies, or
found unattended where they constitute an obstruction to traffic or any
place where stopping, standing or parking is prohibited, and for the
payment of reasonable charges for such removal and storage by the owner
or operator of any such vehicle.
(e) The legislative body of any county with respect to county roads in
such county, may by local law or ordinance prohibit vehicles engaged in
retail sales of frozen desserts as that term is defined in subdivision
thirty-seven of section three hundred seventy-five of this chapter
directly to pedestrians from stopping for the purpose of such sales on
any such road or on all such roads. Nothing herein shall be construed to
prohibit the operator of such vehicle from stopping such vehicle off of
such road, in a safe manner, for the sole purpose of delivering such
retail product directly to the residence of a consumer or to the
business address of a customer of such retailer.
superintendent of highways of a county with respect to county roads in
such county, may by order, rule or regulation:
1. Upon a roadway which is divided into three lanes, allocate the
center lane exclusively for traffic moving in a specified direction.
2. Order signs erected directing slow-moving traffic, trucks, buses or
specified types of vehicles to use a designated lane, or with signs,
signals or markings designate those lanes to be used by traffic moving
in a particular direction regardless of the center of the roadway.
3. Determine those highways or portions of highways which shall be
marked to indicate where overtaking and passing or driving to the left
of or crossing such markings would be especially hazardous in accordance
with the standards, minimum warrants and sign or marking specifications
established by the department of transportation.
4. Temporarily exclude from any portion of any county road any vehicle
with a gross weight of over four or more tons or any vehicle with a
gross weight in excess of any designated weight on any wheel, axle, any
number of axles, or per inch width of tire when in his opinion such
highway would be materially injured by the operation of any such vehicle
thereon. Such exclusion shall take effect upon the erection of signs on
the section of highway from which such vehicles are excluded, and a
notice that such vehicles are excluded shall be published in a newspaper
in the county where the highway is situated. The exclusion shall remain
in effect until the removal of the signs as directed by the county
superintendent of highways. Upon written application by any operator of
a vehicle subject to this section, the county superintendent of highways
may issue a permit providing appropriate exemption to such vehicle, if
it is deemed that said vehicle is performing essential local pickup or
delivery service and that a failure to grant such permit would create
hardship. Every such permit may designate the route to be traversed and
contain other reasonable restrictions or conditions deemed necessary.
Every such permit shall be carried on the vehicle to which it refers and
shall be open to inspection of any peace officer, acting pursuant to his
special duties, or police officer. Such permits shall be for the
duration of the restriction imposed under this section.
4-a. Exclude trucks, commercial vehicles, tractors, tractor-trailer
combinations, or tractor-trailer-semitrailer combinations in excess of
any designated weight, designated length, designated height, or eight
feet in width, from county highways, except for qualifying or access
highways or set limits on hours of operation of such vehicles. Such
exclusion shall not be construed to prevent the delivery or pickup of
merchandise or other property along the highways from which such
vehicles or combinations are otherwise excluded.
5. Designate a portion of a slope as a path for the use of bicycles.
6. Order signs or markings to identify the portion of the highway to
be used for bicycle travel.
* 7. Designate preferential use lanes for specified types or classes
of vehicles.
* NB There are two par 7's
* 7. Declare a snow emergency and designate any highway or portion
thereof as a snow emergency route.
* NB There are two par 7's
(b) Each such county superintendent of highways shall cause to be
determined, for all bridges and elevated structures under his
jurisdiction, the capacity in tons of two thousand pounds which the
bridge or structure will safely carry. At bridges or structures of
insufficient strength to carry safely the legal loads permissible by
section three hundred eighty-five of this chapter, the county
superintendent of highways shall cause signs to be erected to inform
persons of the safe capacity.
(c) Each such county superintendent of highways shall cause signs to
be erected to inform persons of the legal overhead clearance for all
bridges, and elevated structures on highways under his jurisdiction.
The legal clearance shall be one foot less than the measured clearance.
The measured clearance shall be the minimum height to the bridge or
structure measured vertically from the traveled portion of the roadway.
On bridges or structures having fourteen feet or more of measured
clearance, no such signs shall be required.
d. The legislative body of any county with respect to county roads in
such county, may by local law, ordinance, order, rule or regulation,
provide for the removal and storage of vehicles parked or abandoned on
highways during snowstorms, floods, fire or other public emergencies, or
found unattended where they constitute an obstruction to traffic or any
place where stopping, standing or parking is prohibited, and for the
payment of reasonable charges for such removal and storage by the owner
or operator of any such vehicle.
(e) The legislative body of any county with respect to county roads in
such county, may by local law or ordinance prohibit vehicles engaged in
retail sales of frozen desserts as that term is defined in subdivision
thirty-seven of section three hundred seventy-five of this chapter
directly to pedestrians from stopping for the purpose of such sales on
any such road or on all such roads. Nothing herein shall be construed to
prohibit the operator of such vehicle from stopping such vehicle off of
such road, in a safe manner, for the sole purpose of delivering such
retail product directly to the residence of a consumer or to the
business address of a customer of such retailer.