Saline County adopts new oversized and overweight load permit policy

The Saline County Board of Commissioners on Sept. 2 adopted a Road & Bridge policy that establishes comprehensive oversized and overweight load permitting requirements for county roads and repeals an older building-move resolution.

The policy, numbered 2025-101 in staff materials and incorporated by resolution 25-24-33, defines oversized loads as those wider than 12 feet, trailer lengths over 59.5 feet (with certain trailer-length thresholds noted at 50 and 59.5 feet), combination lengths over 68.5 feet and axle-weight thresholds beginning at 20,000 pounds on a single axle and 34,000 pounds on a tandem axle. The policy caps gross vehicle weight at 85,500 pounds and sets a $40 permit fee, the county engineer said.

The policy also adopts permit exemptions that mirror state statute, including exemptions for fire apparatus, road machinery, farm tractors and implements of husbandry, and it incorporates building moves into the broader oversized/overweight permitting program. It requires specified insurance, traffic control and notification procedures and directs Road & Bridge to implement an online permit application and update Saline County’s code of ordinances (chapter 5 and chapter 11) to reflect the change.

Justin Mader, Saline County engineer, told commissioners the policy increases the width threshold from a previously proposed 8.5 feet to 12 feet to avoid creating unnecessary permitting requirements for local construction traffic. He said the change is intended to reduce paperwork for routine local moves while preserving the ability of Road & Bridge to require permits for larger loads and to notify movers about construction or route constraints.

The resolution as read by Mader cites state law as the county’s authority, including KSA references presented in the packet. The board adopted resolution 25-24-33 by voice vote; the motion and second were made on the record and the chair announced the motion carried.

Commissioners asked for confirmation that loads under 12 feet still must meet state warning and flagging requirements; Mader said the policy references state statutes and clarifies that warning requirements apply to loads over 8.5 feet.

The new policy takes effect immediately upon adoption and authorizes the Road & Bridge Department to administer the permit program and to make the necessary updates to county ordinances and online permitting systems.

The commission did not direct additional amendments at the meeting; staff will proceed with implementing the online permit and ordinance edits.