On Aug 5, 2004, at 8:13 AM, Charles Gimon wrote
My question is: does this mean that SUVs have been illegal to drive on Minneapolis residential streets all along? Is this ordinance in effect, or does Slate have it wrong? If the ordinance is valid, how has enforcement of this been approached, if at all?
Here's the ordinance. Looks bad for SUV-ers, but you tell me. (Note: one pertinent section is between asterisks. Let's hope it's the longest run-on sentence in city code, but probably not.)
474.790. Definition. As used in this article, the word "truck" shall include
trucks, trailers and semitrailers. (Code 1960, As Amend., � 441.010)
...474.810. Marking of routes. Truck routes shall be identified by appropriate
signs erected and maintained by the city engineer. Further, the city
engineer shall post at the city limits, upon all main traffic routes
entering the city, signs notifying users of highways that trucks are only
permitted to be driven on marked truck routes. (Code 1960, As Amend., �
441.030)
474.820. Duty to use routes. ***When any such truck route has been established
and identified, any person driving a truck having a gross weight of three
(3) tons or more shall drive such truck on such route or routes and none
other, except when it is impracticable to do so or where necessary to
traverse another street or streets to a destination for the purpose of
loading or unloading commodities or for the purpose of towing a disabled or
damaged motor vehicle to or from public or private property, and then only
by such deviation from the nearest truck route as is reasonably necessary.*** A
truck arriving at the end of any designated truck route may be driven over
the most direct course to the nearest truck route which extends in the same
general direction. (Code 1960, As Amend., � 414.020)
474.830. Permits for use of other routes. The city engineer shall have the
authority, for cause or upon request, to issue temporary permits for trucks
to operate over routes not established as truck routes by the city council,
or to otherwise deviate from the provisions of the traffic code. Such action
by the city engineer shall be subject to review and modification, or
cancellation, by the city council. (Code 1960, As Amend., � 414.030)
474.840. Vehicles excepted. The provisions of this article shall not apply
to emergency vehicles of the police department, fire department or health
department, nor to any public utility vehicles where actually engaged in the
performance of emergency duties necessary to be performed by said public
departments or public utilities, nor to any vehicle owned by or performing
work for the United States of America, the State of Minnesota, the
University of Minnesota, or the City of Minneapolis. (Code 1960, As Amend.,
� 441.080)
474.850. Conflict with other provisions. No designation of a "truck route"
which consists in whole or in part of any state trunk highway, federal
highway or parkway shall be construed as permitting use of said route in
violation of any order or rule of the commissioner of highways or any
ordinance or rule of the park board. Further, no designation of any "truck
route" shall be construed to permit violation of any state law or provision
of this Code regulating the size, weight, capacity, height, length or speed
of trucks or other vehicles. (Code 1960, As Amend., � 441.040)
474.860. Trucks following each other. The driver of any truck or
truck-tractor when traveling upon a highway outside of the congested zone
shall not follow another truck or truck-tractor within one hundred (100)
feet, but this shall not be construed to prevent one truck or tractor
overtaking and passing another. (Code 1960, As Amend., � 414.060)
David Brauer Kingfield
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