Cite as: 47 CNCA § 14-126

A. As used in this section:

1. "Affected area" means the entire width of the right-of-way of the route extended to a height of twenty-three (23) feet above the roadway;

2. "High-wide load" means a motor vehicle transporting property on any portion of a route where the vehicle exceeds the limitations on size imposed by Section 14-103 of this title and no portion of the motor vehicle or the transported property has a greater width than twenty-eight (28) feet or a greater height than twenty-three (23) feet; and

3. "Political subdivision" means a city, village, town or county.

B. Any routes existing within the jurisdiction of the Cherokee Nation designated as "high-wide corridors" under the laws of the State of Oklahoma shall be similarly designated as such under the laws of the Cherokee Nation.

C. No person shall operate a high-wide load on the route described without a permit from the Department of Public Safety.

D. Exclusive of incorporated municipal limits, no person may install any structure within the affected area without a permit from the Department of Transportation.

E. Upon the effective date of this section, and exclusive of incorporated municipal limits, no person may do any of the following within the affected area:

1. Install any permanent structure without the authorization of the Department of Transportation; or

2. Take any action that would make any portion of the affected area permanently unavailable for use by a high-wide load.

F. The Department of Transportation shall create additional design standards for improvements to the Oklahoma high-wide routes to prevent interference from permanent structures. These standards shall:

1. Maintain a minimum eighteen feet and zero inches (18'-0") vertical clearance above the road surface for all future overhead obstructions. Where bridges cross over the Oklahoma high-wide routes, they shall be designed, where possible, to allow for high-wide loads to quickly egress and ingress around the bridge utilizing on- and off-ramps;

2. Require all future overhead signage to be of cantilever design, where possible, to allow high-wide loads to shift lanes to prevent interference; and

3. Require all future bridge design or construction on the Oklahoma high-wide routes to accommodate a three hundred fifteen thousand (315,000) pound gross vehicle weight, single-lane design vehicle.

G. Political subdivisions in which any portion of the Oklahoma high-wide route is located shall attempt to reach agreements among the affected parties and with persons using the high-wide route for high-wide loads regarding the allocation of costs and provision of services related to removing permanent structures that interfere with the use of any portion of the affected area by high-wide loads.

H. Political subdivisions in which any portion of the Oklahoma high-wide route is located shall attempt to reach agreements among the affected parties and with persons using the high-wide route for high-wide loads to provide timely vehicle escorts for persons using the high-wide route for high-wide loads.

Historical Data

LA 02-21, eff. January 11, 2021.