CHAPTER 237

An Act to amend and reenact § 46-341 of the Code of Virginia, relating
to when State Highway Commission may decrease allowable weights
so as to except bridges and culverts from certain conditions. rH 202)

Approved March 8, 1952

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:

1. That § 46-341 of the Code of Virginia be amended and reenacted
as follows:

§ 46-341. When Commission may decrease allowable weights.—In
addition to other powers vested in it by law and in particular by the
preceding section, the State Highway Commission may, when in its judg-
ment it is advised so to do, in order to protect any highway or section
thereof, public bridge, causeway or viaduct from undue damage or strain,
determine and fix the maximum weight of any motor vehicle or combina-
tion of vehicles to be operated over such public highway or section thereof,
public bridge, causeway or viaduct in this State at less than the maximum
otherwise provided by law. In such cases it shall cause conspicuous signs
to be posted on or at the approach to such public highways or sections
thereof, public bridges, causeways or viaducts, as the case may be, plainly
indicating the maximum weight of any vehicle or combination of vehicles
permitted to be operated thereon, or such of them as are less than such
maximum otherwise provided by law.

It shall be unlawful to operate a motor vehicle or combination of
vehicles over or upon any public highway or section thereof, public bridge,
causeway or viaduct in this State when the weight thereof exceeds the
maximum so posted by or upon the authority of the State Highway Com-
mission.

Any person convicted of a violation of any provision of this section
shall be punished by a fine of not less than ten dollars nor more than five
hundred dollars or by confinement in jail for not less than one day nor
more than six months, or both, and the motor vehicle or combination
of vehicles so operated may be held upon an order of the court until
all fines and costs have been satisfied.

This section shall not be construed to apply, except in cases of bridges
and culverts, * when it is proven by the person accused of the violation
thereof that the journey upon which such motor vehicle or combination
of vehicles was then engaged originated or was intended to terminate
upon the section of highway upon which it was then traveling and upon
which the maximum weight had been lessened under the provision of
this section and that such person had no other public road free of such
restrictions upon which he might have operated such motor vehicle or
combination of vehicles from the point of origin of the journey or to
the destination, as the case may be.