PERMITS
Pennsylvania oversize permits are valid for seven days. Must have permit prior to entering the state.
OPERATING TIME
Sunrise to sunset Monday through Friday, and Saturday sunrise until noon. Overweight only, not exceeding 107,000 pounds and not exceeding 70′ overall length, operating at prevailing speeds can have continuous travel.
RESTRICTED TRAVEL
Daylight only until noon on Saturdays, and no Sunday travel. Over 10 feet wide and/or 85 feet in length are not allowed any weekend travel. Inside urban areas (see map included with provision sheets), except for holidays, movement is allowed seven days a week from 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. to sunset, and also 3:00 a.m. – 7:30 a.m. (but 2 pilots and special lighting required). City permit is required for Philadelphia for all routes except Interstates. Permit travel is usually not allowed from noon the day before the six major holidays and holiday weekends until the following weekday.
PENNSYLVANIA TURNPIKE
A permit must be ordered in advance if width is over 10′, length is over 85′, height is over 13’6, weight is over 125,000 pounds or any axle weight is over 22,400 pounds. Height over 13’6″ is not allowed on the mainline (I-76). Over 11′ wide, over 90′ long or over 15′ rear overhang requires a pilot car. From Memorial Day to Labor Day, O/D loads can travel between dawn to dusk Monday through Thursday, and dawn to noon on Friday. After Labor Day until Memorial Day, they can travel dawn to dusk Monday through Friday and dawn to noon on Saturday. Gross weight of 80,000 – 100,000 pounds is moderately expensive. Over 100,000 pounds is much more expensive. Online (Internet) toll calculator is available at: http://www.paturnpike.com/toll/tollmileage.aspx. PA Turnpike phone number is (717) 939-9551, ext. 2980.
LEGAL DIMENSIONS
Length:
53′ semitrailer (kingpin to center line of rear axle group must not exceed 41′). If combination is legal without load, no permit is required if load is 70′ or less or if overall length is 85′ or less and load is non-divisible (no extra length created by multiple end-to-end pieces). No overhang restrictions. This includes beams, utility poles, pipes, building materials, etc.
Overhang:
Up to 6′ rear overhang allowed on a divisible load. No overhang is legal unless it is a non-divisible load as above.
Width:
8’6″ on designated highways
8′ on other roads
Height: 13’6″
Weight: 80,000
Steer Axle – 20,000
Single – 20,000
Tandem – 34,000
Tridem – 42,500
ROUTINE PERMIT LIMITS
Length:
120′
160′ on 4-lane highways
Width: 16′
Height: 14’6″
Weight:
Single – 27,000
Tandem – 52,000
Tridem – 63,000
Quad – 72,000
Loads exceeding 201,000 gross weight, width over 16 feet, or 160 feet overall length, are considered superloads.
ESCORTS
Length:
Over 90′ – 1 escort
Over 160′ – police escort
Overhang: Over 15′ – 1 escort
Width:
Over 13′ on all highways – 1 escort
Over 16′ – police escort
Height: Over 14’6″ – 1 escort with height pole, and PA requires a route survey to accompany application.
Weight: Over 201,000 – police escort.
Other
If permit reduced speeds over bridges: 1 escort
If permit requires load to be only vehicle on a bridge, or to occupy more than one lane of traffic on a bridge: 2 escorts
Philadelphia: Police escort required when over and of the following:
11’5″ wide
14′ high
75′ long
145,000 pounds
MISCELLANEOUS
Dozers with blades that exceed 12′ in width, but no wider than 15′, may be hauled if a traffic protector guide rail device is securely fastened to the dozer. A detached bucket or blade cannot be hauled on an overweight load.
SIGNS, FLAGS & LIGHTS
“Oversize Load” signs are required on front of tractor and rear of load or trailer (whichever extends the farthest) on all oversized loads unless otherwise specified in the permit. Signs must be removed or covered when the vehicle/load is no longer oversize. Flags are required at the widest points of any oversize load. Rear overhang of 4′ or more must be flagged, or have a red light attached to the end of the load during darkness. Headlights and rear lamps of a permitted vehicle must be on during movement when traveling with pilot car(s).
