Section 290-RICR-40-00-1.5 - Safety Requirements - Nondivisible Permits1.5.1FlagsA. All warning flags will be either red or orange fluorescent and at least eighteen (18) inches square. Flags will be clean enough to distinguish the color of the flag from a reasonable distance.B. All warning flags will be secured by at least one corner or mounted on a staff. There are two circumstances requiring the use of flags: 1. Overwidth loads - at least two (2) and up to six (6) flags will be mounted at the widest extremity of the load, depending upon the load configuration (see Figure 1, §1.5.1(C) of this Part); and2. Overlength loads or loads with rear- or front-end overhang in excess of four (4) feet will display one flag at the end of the overhang if less than two (2) feet wide, and two flags if the overhang is over two (2) feet wide (see Figure 2, §1.5.1(D) of this Part).1.5.2Signs for Oversized LoadsA. The wording for the sign will be: OVERSIZE LOAD. The sign size will be as follows:1. For Load Vehiclesa. Size: Not less than seven (7) feet long and eighteen (18) inches highb. Color: Black letters on yellow backgroundc. Letter Size: Not less than ten (10) inches high with approximatelyd. One point four (1.4) inch brush strokee. Location: Front of vehicle and rear of load2. For Escort Vehicles a. Size: Not less than five (5) feet long and twelve (12) inches highb. Color: Black letters on yellow backgroundc. Letter Size: Not less than ten (10) inches high with approximatelyd. One point four (1.4) inch brush strokee. Location: Front or rear of escort vehicle as appropriateB. Upon delivery of the oversized load, the signs shall be removed or covered, so that they are no longer visible.1.5.3LightsA. For Load Vehicles - no special lighting is required on load vehicles. However, load vehicles will travel with low beam headlights on at all times.B. For Escort Vehicles - flashing yellow lights shall be in operation above the highest point of the vehicle and visible from the front and rear. Escort vehicles will also travel with low beam headlights on at all times.1.5.4Escort VehiclesA. Escort vehicles are required to accompany permitted vehicles under the guidelines in this paragraph. Escort vehicles will be at least the size of a compact size car or larger. The drivers of escort vehicles will maintain visual and two-way radio contact with the permitted vehicle at all times. When one (1) escort is required, it shall precede a load on undivided highways and follow the load on divided highways. Following is a description of escort vehicle requirements. Escort vehicle requirements will be generally the same on both four (4)-or-more lane divided highways and on two-lane roads on the designated system as follows: 1. Overwidth a. No escort is required for overall width less than twelve (12) feet. One (1) escort vehicle is required for overall width of between twelve (12) feet and fourteen (14) feet, six (6) inches. Two (2) escort vehicles are required for over fourteen (14) feet, six (6) inches.2. Overlength a. No escort vehicle is required for overlength of less than eighty (80) feet. One (1) escort is required for overlength between eighty (80) feet and ninety (90) feet. Two (2) escort vehicles are required for over ninety (90) feet.3. Overhang a. No escort vehicle is required if overhang is less than fifteen (15) feet with proper flags displayed. One (1) escort vehicle is required if the overhang is fifteen (15) feet or more. There may be some special circumstances where a second escort vehicle will be required for overhangs due to safety reasons, but such occurrences are anticipated to be infrequent. One example in which two (2) escorts will be required is when the overhang is fifteen (15) feet or more to the rear, on a two (2) -lane, undivided highway, where the width is twelve (12) feet or more.4. Building a. Two (2) escorts are required with police escort from each city or town where move will travel.5. Cranesa. Two (2) escorts are required for intrastate moves of width twelve (12) and over.1.5.5Spacing Between Permitted VehiclesThere shall be a minimum spacing of one thousand (1,000) feet between any oversize permitted vehicles traveling in the same direction.
1.5.6SpeedPermit vehicles must travel a safe speed and obey any special speed restrictions for permit vehicles established by the state in which they are traveling.
1.5.7Days of TravelA. Permit travel is authorized during approved hours on Monday through Friday. No permit travel on Saturday or Sunday is authorized under the agreement. (Weekend travel in states which allow it must be coordinated individually between the carrier and that respective state.) Permit travel is not allowed on specified holidays.B. A list of individual state holiday periods on which travel is restricted will be published annually be each state and will be sent to all state permit issuing offices well in advance of January 1 of the year in which the holidays occur.1.5.8Hours of TravelA. Most permitted vehicles may travel on designated routes from thirty (30) minutes prior to sunrise until thirty (30) minutes after sunset. No night-time travel is authorized except for envelope vehicles which are overweight only and are capable of traveling with the traffic flow are not restricted to daylight travel time.B. For mobile or modular homes over twelve (12) feet wide, for construction equipment over thirteen (13) feet wide and for cranes the allowable time periods for travel are between sunrise and 7:00 AM and between 9:00 AM and 3:30 PM on all of I-195 and on I-95 from the Massachusetts/Rhode Island state line to State Route 37.1.5.9Inclement WeatherNo travel is allowed when road conditions, weather conditions, or visibility make traveling hazardous to the operator or to the driving public. Vehicles which are underway when inclement weather occurs must exit the road at the first available location and park in a safe place until the weather clears, or until the road conditions improve.
1.5.10Use of Travel LanesWhen two (2) or more lanes are available in one direction, vehicles in excess of twelve (12) feet wide shall travel in the right lane, except in an emergency or to comply with any other restrictions established by the state in which they are traveling.
290 R.I. Code R. 290-RICR-40-00-1.5