OVERVIEW
PERMITS: Rhode Island oversize permits are valid for five days.
OPERATING TIME: Travel permitted one-half hour before sunrise to one-half hour after sunset. No weekend travel permitted.
RESTRICTED TRAVEL: No travel on major holidays and on VJ Day (2nd Monday in August). Movement may be restricted after 12:00 noon the day before a holiday.
LEGAL DIMENSIONS
Length:
- Interstate and designated highways – 53′ semitrailer (kingpin to center line of rear axle group must not exceed 41′)
- Other roads 48′ semitrailer
Overhang:
- 3′ front
- 6′ rear
Width: 8’6″
Height: 13′ 6″
Weight: 80,000 Gross
- Single – 22,400
- Tandem – 36,000
- Tridem – 42,000 with axles spacings less than 4’6″, 42,750 with 4’6″
ROUTINE PERMIT LIMITS
Length: *
Width: *
Height: *
*Determined by routes and dimensions
Weight:
- Determined by spacings, usually 22,500 per axle is permitted
- 5 Axles 6 Axles or 7 Axles – depends on spacings, weight and routing
- Over 200,000 pounds, an outside engineering firm must survey the routes
ESCORTS
Length:
- Over 80′ – 1 escort
- Over 90′ – 2 escorts
Overhang: Over 15′ – 1 escort
Width:
- Over 12′ – 1 escort
- Over 14’6″ – 2 escorts
Height: Over 14′ – 1 escort
Note: Some metropolitan areas may require police escorts
Signs, Flags, and Lights: Warning signs are required for all oversize movements. “Oversize Load” signs are to be displayed on front of vehicle and on the end of the load for all loads exceeding legal width, length or rear overhang. Wide loads require at least two flags and up to six flags mounted at the widest extremities. Over length vehicles/loads require one flag if load is less than 2′ wide, and two flags if load is greater than 2′ wide. Less than 2′ of overhang requires one flag; greater than 2′ of overhang, two flags required – one on each corner.