CHAPTER 137

An Act to amend and reenact § 46-840 of the Code of Virginia, relating
to the authority of the State Highway Commission to prescribe the
weight, width, height, length or speed of vehicles or combination of
vehicles and to the adoption of rules, regulations and ordinances
therefor by local authorities.

[fH 199]

Approved February 27, 1952

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:

1. That § 46-340 of the Code of Virginia be amended and reenacted as
follows:

§ 46-340. When Highway Commission and local authorities may
reduce limits—Whenever in the judgment of the State Highway Com-
mission it would promote the safety of travel or is necessary for the
protection of any highway or section of highway or bridge constituting
a part of the State Highway System or the secondary system of State
highways from undue damage or strain, the State Highway Commission
may, * * * prescribe the weight, width, height, length or speed of any
vehicle or combination of vehicles passing over such highway or section
of highway or bridge less than those prescribed by this title. For such
purpose the State Highway Commission may * * * prescribe such lesser
weights, widths, heights, lengths or speeds for vehicles or combination
of vehicles, passing over any general class, width, description or specifica-
tion of highways or bridges constituting a part of the State Highway
System or the secondary system of State highways. The local authorities
of cities, * * towns and counties, where the highways are under their
jurisdiction, may adopt rules and regulations or pass ordinances, as the
case may be, decreasing the weight and load limit specified in § 46-334
for a total period not to exceed ninety days in any calendar year, when
operation over highways by reason of deterioration, rain, snow or other
climatic conditions will seriously damage such highways unless such
weights are reduced. * * * The State Highway Commission shall cause
to be erected signs stating the weight, height, width, length or speed at
each end of the section of highway affected and no such change shall be
effective until such signs are erected. Any local authority executing any
such ordinance or regulation shall cause to be erected signs stating the
weight specified in such ordinance or regulation at each end of the section
of highway affected and no such ordinance or regulation shall be effective
until such signs are erected.

Any violation of any weight, width, length or speed restriction pre-
scribed by the State Highway Commission and indicated by signs properly
erected by the State Highway Commission or of any ordinances or regula-
tions passed by local authorities and indicated by signs erected as required
in the preceding paragraph shall constitute a misdemeanor and shall in
either case be subject to the same punishment provided by § 46-18 whether
the prosecution be for a violation of a properly posted sign of the State
Highway Commission or a rule and regulation or ordinance of the authori-
ties of a city, town, or county.