Breaking the law in CALIF

[RubHer Yellow Ducky]

SUVs breaking weight laws

La Verne, Rancho have 3-ton limits
Karen Jonas, Staff Writer
Article Created: 06/29/2008 11:09:09 PM PDT


} People who drive full-sized SUVs such as the Nissan Armada, Chevrolet Suburban and Dodge Durango through neighborhoods in La Verne and Rancho Cucamonga may be breaking the law every time they drive.
Some residential streets prohibit people from driving vehicles with a Gross Vehicle Weight Rating of 3 tons (6,000 pounds) or more.
What may be surprising to many is that most full-size SUVs have a GVWR of more than 6,000 pounds.
The Hummer H3, which is petite in comparison to the H2, tips the scales at 6,001 pounds, as does the Chevrolet Trailblazer.
The GVWR refers to what the vehicle weighs when it is carrying passengers and cargo. This is different from the curb weight, which is calculated when the vehicle is empty.
The heaviest vehicle found through casual research of major automakers' Web sites was a tie between the Chevy Suburban three-quarter-ton and the Hummer H2. Both of them weigh a whopping 8,600 pounds when loaded up.
Even smaller SUVs can have GVWRs that nearly reach 6,000 pounds. The Jeep Grand Cherokee has a GVWR of 5,700 pounds, which is only 300 pounds below the 3-ton mark.
Smaller vehicles such as sedans do not have GVWRs available, but the popular Toyota Camry has a curb weight of 3,483 pounds, just more than half the restricted weight.
At least two Inland Valley cities have a restriction against vehicles over three tons that is clearly stated in their municipal codes. La Verne and

Rancho Cucamonga both have restrictions against vehicles over 6,000 pounds from driving on roads that are not designated as truck routes. Exceptions can be made if the vehicle is either picking up or delivering goods, but the vehicle is supposed to take a direct route from the truck route to the destination.
City offices for La Verne and Rancho Cucamonga are closed on Fridays, so city officials could not be reached for comment.
Other cities in the Inland Valley have restrictions against vehicles that weigh five tons or more, which would not affect full-size SUVs.
Ontario, Fontana, Claremont and Chino have restrictions against vehicles of 10,000 pounds from driving on streets that are not designated as truck routes.
Jim Hall, city engineer for Chino, said that the 5-ton restriction is in place because large vehicles damage the road surfaces.
"Trucks will do a lot of damage to pavement," said Hill. "We want to make sure that the truck routes are designed to take the load."
A city engineer from Claremont had a different reason for the 5-ton restriction.
"It takes a lot more room (for trucks) to turn around," said Craig Bradshaw. "There's a 5-ton limit on Indian Hill Boulevard because of a tight intersection."
Bradshaw added that 10,000-pound vehicles that are making deliveries or used for moving will be fine traveling on streets with the restriction.
A spokesperson from Caltrans said that the restriction is the choice of each individual city. The ordinances against 3-ton vehicles in La Verne and Rancho Cucamonga were both created in the 1980s, before the craze for giant SUVs began.