Title 17 . Transportation and Public Facilities

Chapter 35 . Miscellaneous Provisions

Section 10. Industrial use highways

17 AAC 35.010. Industrial use highways

(a) Under the provisions of AS 44.62 the department will, in its discretion, by regulation, designate a specified highway as an industrial use highway if its design features allow it to accommodate long or heavy loads.

(b) Except as provided in 17 AAC 35.020(d) , use of a vehicle on an industrial use highway is controlled by the permit system established under 17 AAC 35.020 - 17 AAC 35.100 if the vehicle's length or width exceeds the limitations in 17 AAC 25.

(c) Interested parties may, by written request, petition the commissioner for designation of a particular route as an industrial use highway. The written request must include

(1) a descriptive summary of the condition of the existing facility and its capability to accommodate long or heavy loads;

(2) the design changes for the roadway or structures and any other improvements necessary to allow the facility to accommodate long or heavy loads;

(3) the costs of the design changes or other improvements necessary to allow the facility to accommodate long or heavy loads;

(4) the proposed uses that dictate designation of the facility as an industrial use highway;

(5) the economic, environmental, and social impact, and the degree to which designation of the highway as an industrial use highway will improve the general welfare of the people of the state; and

(6) various means of financing the cost of the changes to the facility necessary to allow it to accommodate long or heavy loads.

(d) Designation of a route as an industrial use highway is dependant upon a department study of

(1) the ability of the particular route to accommodate the vehicle lengths or heavy loads specified in 17 AAC 35.020;

(2) the safety of the movement of long or heavy loads and their impact upon users of the route;

(3) the design changes necessary for the roadway and structures; maintenance operations requirements; and traffic engineering, including the location and proposed design of vehicle pullouts, passing lanes, and other improvements for the route to accommodate the movement of long or heavy loads;

(4) the economic, environmental, and social impact, and the degree to which designation of the route as an industrial use highway will improve the general welfare of the people of the state; and

(5) the various means of financing the costs of the changes to the route to enable it to accommodate long or heavy loads.

(e) The department will, in its discretion, by regulation, establish specific length and weight limitations, not to exceed those set in 17 AAC 35.020, when the route is designated an industrial use highway.

(f) The department will, in its discretion, repeal its designation of a route as an industrial use highway upon a finding in writing that continued use of the route as an industrial use highway is not in the public interest.

History: Eff. 11/1/87, Register 104

Authority: AS 19.05.010

AS 19.05.020

AS 19.05.040

AS 19.05.125

AS 19.10.060

AS 44.42.020

AS 44.42.030