§ 5-8-151. Reduction of limits.

(a)(1)

The director of transportation and environmental services may prescribe the weight of any vehicle or combination of vehicles passing over any street, highway, section of highway or bridge within the city, less than that prescribed in this article, whenever an engineering study discloses that operation over any streets, highways or bridges, by reason of deterioration, rain, snow or other climatic conditions will seriously damage the street, highway or bridge unless such weights are reduced; provided, that in no case may the period of reduction of limits exceed 90 days in any calendar year.

(2)

In all instances where the limits for weight have been reduced by the director of transportation and environmental services pursuant to this section, signs stating the weight permitted on the highway or street shall be erected at each end of the section of highway or street affected, and no such reduced limits shall be effective until such signs have been posted.

(b)

It shall be unlawful to operate a vehicle or combination of vehicles over any public highway, or a street or section thereof when the weight thereof exceeds the maximum posted by authority of the traffic director pursuant to this section.

(c)

Any person convicted of a violation of any provision of this section shall be punished by a fine not less than $10 nor more than $500 or be confined in jail for not less than one day nor more than six months, or both, and the vehicle or combination of vehicles involved in such violation may be held upon an order of the court until all fines and costs have been satisfied.

(d)

This section shall not be construed to apply when it is proven by the person accused of the violation thereof that the journey was the initial or sole journey upon the section of road posted for reduced weight limits, subsequent to the time the signs were posted thereon. (Code 1963, Sec. 22-223)