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| Background |
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Truck movements in Oregon are restricted and require an over-dimension variance permit whenever the width of a load or the hauling equipment exceeds 8 feet, 6 inches.
In the past the movement of wide loads, whether it be manufactured homes, modular units, towed units, or wide non-divisible loads, was restricted statewide before, during, and after every major holiday. But in 2006 an Oregon DOT staff study of average daily traffic counts found that at certain times on the Interstates and highways like US97 restrictions are not necessary for the safety of the traveling public. In fact, the blanket restriction typically led to a spike in the number of overwidth loads moving right after the holiday period, which actually caused increased congestion and safety concerns.
Current guidelines now seek to provide for a more uniform traffic flow of overwidth loads during holiday periods. The Motor Carrier Division has a two-page Permit Attachment H that describes the hauling hours and days for overwidth moves. The attachment describes restrictions on loads up to 10' wide, 10' 1" to 12' wide, 12' 1" to 14' wide, and over 14' wide. It shows what's allowed during hours of darkness, during Summer daylight hours from Memorial Day to Labor Day, during certain peak commuter hours in Portland, Salem, Eugene, Grants Pass, and Medford, and during observed holiday periods.
Special Transportation Permit Attachment H applies to all overwidth moves authorized by either Annual or Single Trip permits that also require attachments 70A, 75A, or 82A. This Web page summarizes what's contained in Permit Attachment H.
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| Hours of Darkness |
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Normally, only loads with an overall width up to 10 feet wide are allowed to move during hours of darkness, but they're restricted to the green routes shown on Route Map 2 -- Map 2 Front | Map 2 Back -- and they're restricted to the special provisions for observed holidays. It's also required that the outermost extremities of the loads must be illuminated by lamps/markers as described in ORS Chapter 816, Vehicle Equipment: Lights.
EXCEPTIONS
Under Exception A of Permit Attachment H, loads may move during hours of darkness if the overall width does not exceed 12 feet and the movement is on Interstate highways. However, manufactured homes and modular units are limited to 10 feet in width on the Interstates during hours of darkness.
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| Memorial Day to Labor Day |
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From the last Monday in May to the first Monday in September -- Memorial Day to Labor Day -- overwidth loads are not allowed to move during daylight hours on Saturdays after Noon and on Sundays. Daylight hours mean one-half hour before sunrise until one-half hour after sunset.
EXCEPTIONS
Under Exception B of Permit Attachment H, this weekend daytime hours restriction doesn't apply if the overall width does not exceed 14 feet and the movement is only on Interstate highways west of the summit of the Cascade mountains or on Interstates and any other authorized highways east of the summit of the Cascade mountains.
Note: Loads over 14 feet wide are authorized by Single Trip Permit only, may be specifically restricted, and exceptions may or may not apply. Carriers should read their permit provisions carefully.
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| Five Major Oregon Cities |
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Wide loads are subject to a number of special restrictions when moving in the cities of Portland, Salem, Eugene, Grants Pass, and Medford. On business days -- Monday through Friday, except holidays -- travel is particularly restricted during the hours of 7 a.m. to 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. Carriers will notice that over-dimension permits refer to these hours as "City Hours."
Normally, only loads with an overall width up to 12 feet are allowed to move in the urban areas of these five cities, on non-Interstate highways, during City Hours.
ADDITIONAL CITY RESTRICTIONS
For vehicles, loads, or manufactured homes and modular units over 12 feet overall width, movement is not allowed between 7 a.m. to 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. on business days along certain stretches of highways in Portland and Medford:
- Portland on Interstate 5 from the Oregon/Washington border to the junction of OR217 (Northbound and Southbound).
- Medford on Interstate 5 between Exit #24 and Exit #33 (Northbound and Southbound).
For vehicles and loads over 14 feet overall width, or manufactured and modular units over 14 feet at the base or 15 feet overall, movement is not allowed in all five cities during certain hours and in Portland along certain stretches of highways:
- In the Portland, Salem, Eugene, Grants Pass and Medford urban areas, on all highways, between 7 a.m. to 9 a.m., 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., and 4 p.m. to 6 p.m.
- Portland outside the urban area - between 7 a.m. to 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday on the following highways:
- Interstate 5 between milepost 278 and the Oregon/Washington border
- Interstate 84 between milepost 15 and the junction of Interstate 5 at milepost 0
- Interstate 205
- US26 (Sunset Highway) from milepost 64 east to Portland
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| Observed Holidays |
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Normally, wide loads are not allowed to move on five observed holidays -- New Year's Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, and Christmas -- from Noon on the last business day preceding the holiday to one-half hour before sunrise of the first business day following the holiday. On Thanksgiving, wide loads are not allowed to move from Noon Wednesday before Thanksgiving to one-half hour before sunrise on the Monday following Thanksgiving.
There are three observed holidays -- Martin Luther King, Jr. Day in January, President's Day in February, and Veterans Day in November -- during which the movement of wide loads is not restricted.
EXCEPTIONS
Under Exception D of Permit Attachment H, this holiday travel restriction doesn't apply if the overall width does not exceed 14 feet, the movement is on Interstate highways, US97, any route east of US97 shown in Black on Route Map 6 for manufactured and modular units or Route Map 9 for oversize/overweight vehicles and loads, and the movement is done according to the following schedule:
Thanksgiving:
- Movement is allowed Thanksgiving Day, Friday & Saturday.
New Years Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Christmas Day:
- When holiday or observed holiday falls on Friday, movement is allowed Friday & Saturday.
- When holiday or observed holiday falls on Monday, movement is allowed Saturday & Sunday.
Holiday Travel Schedule Summary
-- for authorized routes only --
Thanksgiving:
- Shutdown time is noon on Wednesday.
- Movement is allowed Thanksgiving Day, Friday & Saturday.
- No movement Sunday.
- Loads authorized to move during hours of darkness may travel beginning 12:01 a.m. Thursday through midnight Saturday, then again at 12:01 a.m. Monday. All others may start one-half hour before sunrise on those days.
When holiday or observed holiday falls on Friday:
- Shutdown time is noon on Thursday.
- Movement is allowed on Friday & Saturday.
- No movement Sunday.
- Loads authorized to move during hours of darkness may travel beginning 12:01 a.m. Friday through midnight Saturday, then again at 12:01 a.m. Monday. All others may start one-half hour before sunrise on those days.
When holiday or observed holiday falls on Monday:
- Shutdown time is noon on Friday.
- Movement is allowed on Saturday & Sunday.
- No movement Monday.
- Loads authorized to move during hours of darkness may travel beginning 12:01 a.m. Saturday through midnight Sunday, then again at 12:01 a.m. Tuesday. All others may start one-half hour before sunrise on those days.
When holiday falls in the middle of the week -- Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday:
- Shutdown time is noon the day before the holiday.
- No movement on the holiday.
- Loads authorized to move during hours of darkness may start at 12:01 a.m. the day following the holiday. All others may start one-half hour before sunrise.
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